For Rohit Sharma, the India vs England Test series has been a big learning curve. Missing top stars due to injury and other reasons, Rohit Sharma marshalled a group of debutants to defeat a strong England side. He had by his side experienced campaigners like R Ashwin too, who had a special series. The veteran off-spinner was the top wicket-taker in the series with 26 scalps in 10 innings. He had to deal with tough times on the personal front as his mother suffered a health emergency.
Despite that, R Ashwin stood tall. Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma on Wednesday spoke about R Ashwin, who played his 100th Test and took his 500th wicket in the format, during the course of the series.
“His career speaks for itself. Look at the number of Man of the Match, Man of the Series he has got. Whenever he plays in India, or outside the amount pressure he has to take. In one innings if he does not take wickets, people start talking, ‘this is happening. That is happening.’ Arey Bhai Insaan hai, he is also trying his best. Imagine for him to come out on top every time, series after series, says a lot what kind of bowler he is,” Rohit Sharma said in an Instagram video.
In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Ashwin revealed what followed after he received the news of the hospitalisation and how skipper Rohit Sharma’s gesture left him ‘gobsmacked’. He even went on to call Rohit an “outstanding leader” for how he handled the situation.
“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 said.
“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. 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,” the veteran spinner added.
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