'Behen, yeh tumhare liye hai': Akash Deep dedicates 10-wicket Edgbaston haul against England to sister battling cancer

Akash Deep made history at Edgbaston. His 10-wicket haul not only ended India’s long winless run at the venue but also put him in elite company, becoming only the second Indian pacer after Chetan Sharma to take a 10-fer in England. The performance came in just his eighth Test, something not even the likes of Bumrah, Shami or Siraj have done in their long careers. But for Akash, this was more than just numbers. The match was personal.

After the win, the fast bowler revealed a hidden pain he’d carried into the series. His elder sister, Akhand Jyoti, is battling stage-three colon cancer. Diagnosed during IPL 2025, she has been undergoing treatment in Lucknow. And every time Akash picked up the ball at Edgbaston, her face came to mind.


“Behen, yeh tumhare liye hai,” he said after the game. “Whenever I held the ball, I thought of her. I just wanted to give her happiness.”


Akash Deep’s journey to this moment has been far from easy. He lost his father and elder brother within months a few years ago. His sister, now 36, told Times of India, how even during his IPL games, Akash would rush to the hospital after practice just to be with her. “He was so worried for me,” she said. “Still, he never let it affect his game.”


Born in Bihar, Akash moved to Bengal when the state cricket board was banned from the Ranji Trophy. He played local games to earn money and support his cricket dreams. His mother, Ladoma Devi, says he’s always carried grief with strength, using cricket as his way to cope.

His 10 wickets at Edgbaston weren’t just a cricketing milestone, they were a symbol of fight, love, and family. And it’s why the victory, even by 336 runs, felt so much more. Akash is expected to retain his place in the squad for the third Test at Lord’s, and fans now know, every delivery he bowls carries something deeper. A prayer, a memory, and a promise.