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India’s experienced spinner Ravichandran Ashwin endured a hectic 48 hours during the third Test of the series against England. About a few hours after the remarkable achievement of claiming his 500th wicket in Test cricket, Ashwin was abruptly forced to leave the ongoing Rajkot Test match due to a family emergency.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) quickly issued a statement announcing Ashwin’s exit from the match midway through Day 2. However, Ashwin managed to rejoin the Indian team on Day 4 after attending to his family matters in Chennai.
Upon his return, Ashwin played a role in India’s colossal 434-run victory, snaring one wicket in his economical six-over spell, conceding just 19 runs. When Ashwin took the field after tea on the 4th, Ravi Shastri revealed on air that the BCCI arranged a charter plane to fly Ashwin back to Rajkot from Chennai, thus allowing him to play again.
Ashwin’s quick reintegration into the team and his subsequent contribution certainly highlights his professionalism and commitment to the sport and the team. However, his wife Prithi Narayanan has revealed how difficult the 48 hours were when Ashwin had to fly back home.
“We chased the 500 to Hyderabad, but it didn’t happen. To Vizag, it didn’t happen. So I bought a ton of sweets and gave it to everyone at home at 499. The 500 came and went silently. Until it happened.” “T. A lot happened between 500 and 501. The longest 48 hours of our lives,” Ashwin’s wife wrote on Instagram.
“But this is about the 500. And the 499 before that. What a phenomenal achievement. What a phenomenal guy. I’m incredibly proud of you, Ravi Ashwin. We love you!” he further added.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma also praised Ashwin’s professionalism in returning to the team in the post-match press conference, while insisting that the player made the right decision in flying back to Chennai.
“When you lose your most experienced bowler in the middle of a Test match, it is not easy. But apart from everything, family comes first. And when we heard the news, we had no doubt that he had to do what he thought was right,” Rohit said in the post-match press conference.
“I wanted to be with family, which was absolutely the right thing to do. It was good for him and to break through and be part of the team shows the character and the type of person he is. “We were happy to have him back.”