Akash Deep, a right-arm seamer from Bengal, has steadily built a reputation as a durable fast bowler capable of sustaining pace over long spells. While his primary impact has come in red-ball cricket, where he has featured in 10 Tests for India and picked up 28 wickets, his skill set has also kept him in the TATA IPL mix. He first entered the IPL as a replacement player for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the second leg of the 2021 season and was subsequently signed for INR 20 Lakh. Across the next few seasons, he featured sporadically, including five matches in 2022. His growing stature in red-ball cricket saw him attract significant interest at the IPL 2025 Mega Auction, where Lucknow Super Giants secured him for INR 8 Crore, fending off bids from Punjab Kings and Chennai Super Kings. However, he was released after the season and picked up by Kolkata Knight Riders for IPL 2026.