In a big blow to India, Ravichandran Ashwin has withdrawn from the ongoing third Test against England due to family emergency. The news of R Ashwin's withdrawal from third Test against England came hours after the end of Day 2's play. the day when India's ace spinner achieved his 500th wicket in Test cricket to script history.
Ashwin returns home due to family emergency
BCCI put a release to announce this major development.
"Ravichandran Ashwin has withdrawn from the Test squad, effective immediately due to a family medical emergency," the BCCI stated in a media release on Friday (February 16).
"In these challenging times, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the team fully supports Ashwin.
"The BCCI extends its heartfelt support to the champion cricketer and his family. The health and well-being of the players and their loved ones are of utmost importance. The Board requests respect for the privacy of Ashwin and his family as they navigate through this challenging time.
"The Board and the team will continue to provide any necessary assistance to Ashwin and will keep the lines of communication open to offer support as needed. Team India appreciates the understanding and empathy of the fans and media during this sensitive period," the release added.
It will be interesting to see whether India can peg back England in the third Test without the services of R Ashwin. Sans Ashwin, the onus will be on Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav to shoulder India's spin bowling responsibility.
Ashwin's all-round show
On the second day of the third Test in Rajkot, Ashwin had an impressive day out with both bat and ball. After India lost two early wickets, he stitched a strategic 77-run partnership with Dhruv Jurel, helping India surpass the 400-run threshold.
With a contribution of 37 runs, Ashwin played a key role in India's total of 445 runs. Later, as India sought to dismantle the opening partnership of Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley, they looked to Ashwin for a breakthrough. Ashwin managed to curb the run rate, leading Crawley to attempt a sweep shot. The shot was poorly executed and caught by a fielder, marking Ashwin's entry as the second Indian to reach the 500-wicket milestone in Test cricket.
Replying to India's challenging 445, Ben Duckett's fiery century powered England to a commanding 207/2 at the close of Day 2. Ben Duckett unleashed the Bazball avatar in him and cracked an unbeaten 133 off 118 balls to leave England trailing just by 238 runs.
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