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[Saba Sports News] Team India concluded the exhilarating five-Test series with a commanding 4-1 victory over England, a series that was made even more memorable by the final Test in Dharamshala, marking Ravichandran Ashwin’s 100th Test appearance for India and his reaching the 500-wicket milestone.
Amidst this professional high, Ashwin faced a personal crisis when his mother became critically ill. Despite efforts to find immediate transport from Rajkot to Chennai, he encountered difficulties until Indian captain Rohit Sharma intervened, attempting to secure a chartered flight for him, underscoring the gravity of family priorities over the game.
Ashwin shared the emotional turmoil and the extraordinary support from Sharma and the team through his social media, praising the captain’s exceptional humaneness and leadership. He detailed the efforts made by Sharma, including the consideration to have the team physio accompany him to Chennai, showcasing a profound level of empathy and responsibility towards his teammates.
“I asked how she was and if she was conscious. The doctor apparently told me that she was not in a position to be seen. I started tearing up. I was searching for a flight but I couldn’t get one. The Rajkot airport closes down at 6 as there are no flights from there after 6. I didn’t know what to do. Rohit (Sharma) and Rahul (Dravid) Bhai came to my room and Rohit literally asked me to stop thinking and leave to be there with my family. And he was trying to arrange a charter flight for me,” Ashwin shared on his YouTube channel.
“Kamlesh, the team physio, is a very good friend of mine. Rohit told him to fly with me to Chennai and be with me but I convinced him to stay back. When I went down, the security and Kamlesh were already there, waiting. Kamlesh got a call from Rohit on our ride towards the airport, checking up on me and literally asking him to be with me during this tough time. It was 9:30 at night. I was just gobsmacked,” he continued. “I cannot even think about it. The two people there are the only ones that I could talk. What if nobody was there? I just thought, even if I were a captain, I’d tell my players to go back home. No second thoughts about it. But will I be calling people to check up on him? I don’t know. Unbelievable. I saw an outstanding leader in Rohit Sharma that day.”
Ashwin’s return to the team after attending to his mother was nothing short of spectacular, as he played a pivotal role with the ball, taking 26 wickets in the series, including two five-wicket hauls, driving India to a historic series win and dismantling England’s batting lineup. This period not only highlighted Ashwin’s resilience but also illustrated Rohit Sharma’s exemplary leadership, both of which contributed significantly to the team’s triumph and the special atmosphere within the squad.