New Delhi: India’s star spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has opted out of the third Test between India and England at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot due to an undisclosed family emergency. BCCI confirmed this news on February 16. This update on the same day when the star bowler created history by becoming the second Indian to pick 500 wickets.
“Ravichandran Ashwin has withdrawn from the Test squad, effective immediately due to a family medical emergency.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 stated in a press release.
“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.
This is a huge blow to the Indian team as Ashwin was an extremely crucial asset to their bowling attack and now the Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team will be playing with 10 men and 1 substitute. England are dominating the game with their batting and India needed to counter-attack with the ball on Day 3 in order to bounce back in this match but now it will get tough as Ashwin won’t be a part of the line-up.
Ravichandran Ashwin has become just the second Indian bowler and ninth overall to pick 500 wickets in Test cricket. Ashwin achieved the milestone during the ongoing third Test match.
The off-spinner was on 499 scalps at the end of the second Test in Visakhapatnam and completed his 500th scalp with the wicket of Zak Crawley, who top-edged a sweep to short fine leg, ending an 89-run opening partnership, on day two of the third Test. Ashwin was then swarmed by his teammates to congratulate him on achieving the monumental feat.
Ashwin is the ninth bowler in Test history to breach the 500-wicket barrier, and the only one from India since the legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble, who took 619 wickets in 132 Tests. Muttiah Muralitharan (800), Shane Warne (708), James Anderson (695), Anil Kumble (619), Stuart Broad (604), Glenn McGrath (563), Courtney Walsh (519) and Nathan Lyon (517) are ahead of him in the list of highest wicket-takers in Test history.