Rohtas: When Akashdeep Singh ripped through England’s batting line-up with a 10-wicket haul, it was more than just a career-defining performance — it was a moment steeped in personal and historical symbolism.
The 27-year-old fast bowler, who made his Test debut in February 2024, became an overnight sensation with his match-winning figures, helping India secure a crushing 336-run victory at Edgbaston. But in the village of Baddi in Bihar’s Rohtas district, where Akashdeep hails from, his heroics have taken on a deeper significance — a symbolic closure to a 167-year-old injustice.
Akashdeep is a sixth-generation descendant of Babu Nishan Singh, a revolutionary freedom fighter and close associate of Veer Kunwar Singh. In the wake of the 1857 revolt against British colonial rule, Nishan Singh was executed by the British — tied to the mouth of a cannon and blown apart in Sasaram’s Gaurakshini on 7 June 1858.
“Akashdeep’s performance feels like history coming full circle,” said Dr Gurcharan Singh, former principal of SP Jain College in Sasaram. “His great-grandfather gave his life resisting the British. Today, his descendant triumphed on English soil.”
Local celebrations erupted across Baddi and the surrounding region following Akashdeep’s feat. Villagers see his cricketing achievement as poetic justice — a sporting reply to colonial oppression.
“Akash has become the pride of not just our village, but the whole district and the country,” said Shyamlal Singh, a family relative. “It’s an emotional moment for us.”
Prof Umesh Kumar Singh of BS College, also a relative, added: “He has truly lived up to his name. His performance is being applauded across the country. It’s a matter of pride and legacy.”
Included in India’s squad for the final three Tests of the England series, Akashdeep seized his opportunity after replacing pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. He took four wickets in the first innings and six in the second, decimating England’s top order and middle order with pace and precision.
