Team India might have outplayed England to win the Rajkot Test by 434 runs, but it was quite a frantic game to participate for the senior off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
On Day 2 of the match, Ashwin dismissed the visiting opener Zak Crawley to claim his 500th Test wicket, becoming just the second Indian after the legendary Anil Kumble to achieve this feat.
Hours after the second day’s play, however, Ashwin was forced to withdraw from the Rajkot Test due to a family medical emergency.
"Ravichandran Ashwin has withdrawn from the Test squad, effective immediately due to a family medical emergency. In these challenging times, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the team fully supports Ashwin," BCCI’s press release stated.
Ashwin rejoined the Indian team in Rajkot on Day 4 of the third Test after attending his family in Chennai. He got rid of Tom Hartley in the fourth innings as India registered their biggest victory in Test cricket (in terms of runs).
Following the game, Ashwin's wife Prithi Narayanan took to Instagram and penned an emotional note for the cricketer.
"We chased the 500 to Hyderabad, it didn't happen. To Vizag, it didn't happen. So I just bought a ton of sweets and gave it to everyone at home at 499. 500 came and went quietly. Till it didn't. A lot happened between 500 and 501. Longest 48 hours of our lives," Prithi wrote on Instagram.
"But this is about the 500. And the 499 before that. What a phenomenal achievement. What a phenomenal guy. I am insanely proud of you Ravi Ashwin. We love you!" she further added.
After the victory, India skipper Rohit Sharma said that missing out on your best bowler was not an easy challenge to overcome.
“When you lose your most experienced bowler… especially in the middle of a Test match is not easy,” said Rohit in the post-match presser.
However, the captain backed Ashwin’s decision to go back to be with his family midway through the third Test match.
“Everything was aside, family comes first. And when we heard the news, there was no second thought in our mind,” Rohit stated.
“(We felt) he should do what he feels is right and he wanted to be with the family which is absolutely the right thing to do,” he added.
