In emotionally-charged chat, Akash Deep’s sister Jyoti Singh, who is battling cancer, tells mid-day her brother’s fine feat at Edgbaston has given her hope for the future
Akash Deep with his sister Jyoti Singh. Pic/By Special Arrangement
India's Edgbaston Test hero Akash Deep’s elder sister Jyoti Singh, who is battling cancer, is elated by her brother’s match-winning effort — a 10-wicket haul. Moments after the match, Akash Deep dedicated his performance — 10-187, the best figures by an Indian in England — to his sister. He went on to reveal her cancer diagnosis. Jyoti tells mid-day she wasn’t expecting Akash Deep to speak about her. But now, she says, his kind words have given her something precious to hold on to in her trying times.
Moments after the match, Akash Deep dedicated his performance — 10-187, the best figures by an Indian in England — to his elder sister Jyoti Singh, saying: “I haven’t told anyone about this. My elder sister is suffering from cancer. It was diagnosed two months ago. She is stable now. She has gone through so much mentally. I dedicate this performance to her.”
India pacer Akash Deep with his sister Jyoti Singh
On Monday, Jyoti told
mid-day that she was “pleasantly surprised” when her brother dedicated his feat to her. Jyoti, who is currently battling Stage 3 intestine cancer, is in the midst of 12 draining chemotherapy cycles, with two already behind her.
‘Watched the match on TV’
She followed the match on TV at her home in Lucknow and wasn’t expecting Akash Deep to speak about her. But now, she says, his kind words have given her something precious to hold on to in her trying times. “When Akash said this [achievement] was for me, I felt so good. This is his biggest achievement. And this [dedication from her brother] has come at a time when I truly needed something to hold on to,” said Jyoti.
Akash Deep’s mum Laduma Devi
Akash Deep’s mother Laduma Devi, who has weathered more than her share of storms — she lost her husband Ramji Singh, and then their elder son, Dheeraj, a few years back — also watched the Edgbaston Test on TV alongside Jyoti. “We saw the cricket match on TV. We were all so elated,” said Laduma Devi, who has been spending most of her time caring for Jyoti’s children.
Tough journey
Akash Deep’s journey has been anything but smooth. Faced with his father’s disapproval of his cricketing dreams early on, he then had to navigate grief, and along with it, early responsibility. After losing his father and elder brother when he was just 18, Akash became the family’s provider. He brought in money by playing tennis-ball cricket, which he played through a career-threatening back injury. And after all the hardships the family has been through, by dedicating his Test achievement to his ailing sister, he wants her to know that she’s not alone through this painful phase. India pacer Akash Deep has not just won a cricket match, he has won hearts all over the world with his emotional tale of sacrifice, resilience and family bonding.
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