Lucknow: Pacer Akash Deep has confidently declared himself “100% fit and eager to play” as he returns to action for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL 2025 season. The announcement comes after a three-month hiatus due to a back injury sustained during his stint in Australia.
Akash Deep joined the LSG squad on Thursday night and was seen donning the franchise’s colors for the first time during a pre-game media interaction. “I’m feeling quite ready and am eager to play. I’m 100% fit and well-prepared to go as I’ve played one practice match. In cricket, when you get a gap of two-three months, no matter how much you practice, you don’t gain confidence until you play a match. I feel the first match will be very important for me,” he stated.
Reflecting on LSG’s performance in the early stages of the tournament, Akash Deep remained optimistic despite the team’s struggles. “In cricket, performance is not in our control. Even though only three matches have been played, there have been many positive aspects for our team. Despite four of our fast bowlers being injured, the way we performed in the first three games is commendable. I think there are many good things with us, and since the tournament is quite long, good things are yet to come,” he added.
Discussing the unpredictability of IPL matches, Akash Deep noted, “We’ve seen in IPL matches during the last two years, you can’t predict a safe target. There have been instances when teams have failed to defend 240 or 260. If our fast-bowling unit is together, we have a balanced side.”
On his transition from Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) to LSG, the pacer expressed his comfort with the new team. “The jersey may change but the person will remain the same. I’m feeling very good with this franchise. I haven’t spent much time with the team yet, but the time I did spend, which was about 2-3 days during the preparatory camp, it felt great and gave me a lot of confidence. Because I was at the NCA in rehab, I joined the team only last night, and today is the first practice session. I haven’t had much interaction with the coaches yet,” he shared.
Akash Deep also praised the mentorship of Zaheer Khan within the LSG setup. “I’m lucky to have the opportunity to play under such a great coach, even if it’s just for 2-3 months. His international experience is excellent, and he will identify and improve my skills and fine-tune my weaknesses and variations,” he said.
Regarding the recovery of fellow LSG speedster Mayank Yadav, Akash Deep expressed hope for his swift return. “I believe it’ll be good if he can join the team soon,” he concluded.