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Irani Cup 2026-27 — Back from injury, Akash Deep ready to shine again against Jammu and Kashmir

Fast bowler Akash Deep is set to make his long-awaited return to competitive cricket during the upcoming Irani Cup fixture between the Rest of India and Jammu and Kashmir, following a lengthy recovery from a lower back stress fracture. The twenty-nine-year-old athlete has spent seven months undergoing rehabilitation at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru after picking up the injury following a Ranji Trophy semifinal match against J&K earlier in the year.

During his extended time away from the sport, which halted a promising international career highlighted by a ten-wicket haul against England at Edgbaston, Akash Deep used the period to refine his approach to physical maintenance, nutrition, and workload management. Meanwhile, Laxmi Ratan Shukla has taken on the role of batting coach for the Rest of India squad ahead of the match at Sher-I-Kashmir Stadium.

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