During the third Test match in Rajkot, Ravichandran Ashwin had to abruptly depart from the Indian cricket team squad as his mother collapsed due to a severe headache and was hospitalized in Chennai. This event occurred shortly after Ashwin achieved the milestone of becoming only the second Indian bowler to secure 500 wickets in Test cricket, following Anil Kumble.
In a recent video on his YouTube channel, Ashwin shared the details of how he received the news of his mother’s hospitalization and highlighted the remarkable support he received from captain Rohit Sharma, which left him deeply impressed. Ashwin praised Rohit as an “outstanding leader” for his compassionate handling of the situation.
Ashwin said: “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.”
“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?”
He attributed Rohit’s success as a captain to his kind-hearted nature and empathy, even likening him to the legendary MS Dhoni in terms of leadership qualities. Ashwin’s account sheds light on the supportive environment within the Indian cricket team during challenging personal circumstances.
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