Cricket icon Sunil Gavaskar wants Rohit Sharma to let Ravichandran Ashwin lead Team India onto the field for the fifth Test against England in Dharamsala, as a tribute to the veteran off-spinner's 100th match milestone. Ashwin, 37, is participating in his 99th Test during the fourth match against England and achieved a remarkable 5/51 in England's second innings, marking his 35th five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
Gavaskar's special request from Rohit Sharma
"India win tomorrow, and you go to Dharamshala (for fifth and final Test), I just hope that Rohit allows you to lead the team out to the field. That'll be a wonderful gesture, honour for all that you have done for Indian cricket," Gavaskar said while speaking to Ashwin on Jio Cinema after Day 3's play.
In response, Ashwin expressed his contentment, stating he would be pleased if his tenure with the team were to extend further.
"Sunny bhai, you are being too generous, thanks so much. However, expectations about all these things, I think I am well past all that. But genuinely saying, I am enjoying every single moment I am being with this team. The longer it lasts, I will be happy," Ashwin added.
Ravi Shastri all praise for Ashwin
Ravi Shastri, Gavaskar's fellow commentator and ex-India all-rounder, also mentioned that heading into the Dharamsala Test with a five-wicket haul in his 99th Test, contributing to the team's victory, would be an ideal scenario for Ashwin.
"Yes. But you can pick all the wickets you want, you performed the way you want but it's nothing without the team winning. It (team win) is the best thing which can happen to a cricketer.
"Win a Test after four-five days, the feeling is surreal. I would like to have that feeling tomorrow. Rohit (Sharma) and (Yashasvi) Jaiswal started very well and hopefully they can carry on that tomorrow," said Ashwin who reached the milestone of taking 500 wickets in the Rajkot Test.
Asked about his famous carrom ball, Ashwin said, "My knee has been acting out, but I had a bit of warm-up, I didn't want to give runs as we're batting last, any runs saved is a bonus.
"When we were asked as to who wanted to start, I put my hand up. I do enjoy bowling with the new ball. I had to go back, rewire the way I think about the game. The way I drop the ball on the pitch, I came to know that it doesn't have the bite, it was hitting the shin off the pitch. So, I had to go back and mentally readjust, had to fire the ball quicker."
Ashwin lauds Kuldeep
Ashwin also commended wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav for his impressive performance, capturing key wickets of Zak Crawley and Ben Stokes and finishing with figures of 4/22.
"I loved the way Kuldeep bowled today, he was brilliant, the way he changed the trajectory, change of pace, the dip he got -- I think he's double the bowler now. I took away a 5-wicket haul from him. It was hard on him yesterday, we sent him to bat early, but he showed a lot of technique and guile, we batted almost the entire first session. We would have taken a deficit of 70-80 runs when we went back to the hotel yesterday, we would have taken it," Ashwin concluded.
India just need 152 more runs to defeat England in the fourth Test and utlimately clinch five-match Test series with a game to spare.
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