India head coach Rahul Dravid lauded Ravichandran Ashwin for returning mid-way in their third Test against England at Rajkot, saying it signified the team’s character. India thrashed England by an innings and 64 runs at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala to win the five-match Test series 4-1.
On the day he became just the second Indian after the legendary Anil Kumble to pick 500 Test wickets, Ashwin had to leave India’s match against England in Rajkot to tend to his mother, who had been hospitalised due to a blackout.
Dharamsala Test, India vs England: Scorecard
However, the 37-year-old returned on Day 4 in Rajkot after tending to his mother. He then picked the wicket of Tom Hartley as India went on to win the match by a massive margin of 434 runs.
Speaking to Sports18 after the fifth Test, Dravid picked Ashwin’s return in Rajkot as the moment of the series, saying that it signified the team’s character. Ashwin played his 100th Test match in Rajkot, and picked nine wickets.
“I will say Ashwin coming back to the team after what he went through after 24 hours and wanting to come back and contribute for the team I think really signifies what this team is about and the character of the team,” said Dravid.
INDIA WIN DHARAMSALA TEST
India bowled out England for 218 runs on Day 1 in Dharamsala. Opener Zak Crawley was the best batter for the visitors, scoring 79 runs off 108 balls, smashing 11 boundaries and a solitary six.
Kuldeep was the pick of the India bowlers, claiming his fourth five-wicket haul in Tests while giving away 72 runs in 15 overs. He was ably backed by milestone-man Ravichandran Ashwin, who claimed four wickets on his 100th Test match.
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill smashed centuries in India’s second innings while debutant Devdutt Padikkal and Sarfaraz Khan chipped in with fifties as India posted 477 runs, taking a 259-run lead over England.
Ashwin went to work on the England batters once again, claiming his 36th five-wicket haul in Test to bowl the visitors out for 195 runs, winning the match by an innings and 64 runs.
