Indian cricket team vice-captain Rishabh Pant revealed that it was during the IPL 2025 that he came to know that Akash Deep‘s sister was suffering from cancer. Akash Deep, who registered a brilliant ten-wicket haul in the match to guide India to victory over England in the second Test, dedicated his performance to his sister. The fast bowler revealed that his sister was recovering from cancer and it was an emotional moment for him to dedicate his brilliant feat to her. Pant and Akash Deep were both part of Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL and the India vice-captain revealed that they already had a conversation. “I knew since the IPL. I had some conversations with him. But some things are such that more you keep it personal, the better that way,” Pant said in the pre-match press conference.

Akash Deep was the star performer for India with the ball during the second Test as he took four wickets in the first innings and six in the second to clinch the victory.

“Every time I had the ball in my hand, her thoughts would cross my mind,” said an emotionally overwhelmed Akash Deep as he dedicated his stellar performance in India’s jinx-breaking Test win over England to his sister, who is battling cancer for the past two months.

“I have not spoken about this with anyone but two months back, my sister was diagnosed with cancer. She will be very happy with my performance and this will bring some smiles back,” he controlled his emotions while talking to Cheteshwar Pujara on ‘Jio Hotstar’.

“Every time I picked up the ball, her thoughts and picture crossed my mind. This performance is dedicated to her. I want to tell her, ‘Sis, we are all with you’,” he added.

Speaking about the match, he was happy that the plans and the processes that he put in place worked out wonderfully during the game.

“My main aim was to hit the seam on hard lengths and let the ball move in. In case of Joe Root, my aim was to bowl from wide off the crease and get it to shape away.

“In case of Harry Brook, I knew that he is committed on the backfoot and wanted to hit the seam hard and on fuller length, getting it to move in,” he explained the planning behind his wicket-taking deliveries.

(With PTI inputs)