BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla revealed that the medical emergency in Ravichandran Ashwin’s family, which led to his withdrawal from the third test, is related to his mother. Team India faced a sudden shock on Friday night when the BCCI announced that their chief spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has been ruled out of the Indian test due to a medical emergency in his family.
In short
BCCI support
The board said that the BCCI is offering Ashwin its complete support during this difficult moment, but it did not offer any further information. Instead, it asked people to respect the Indian celebrity’s right to privacy.
While nothing more was revealed earlier, it has now come to light that Ashwin went to Chennai to take care of his mother, who fell ill. BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla confirmed in a post that Ashwin had indeed gone out of Rajkot to stay with his mother.
Wishing speedy recovery of mother of @ashwinravi99 . He has to rush and leave Rajkot test to Chennai to be with his mother . @BCCI
— Rajeev Shukla (@ShuklaRajiv) February 16, 2024
Best wishes go out to India’s champion and his family
In this difficult time, prayers and best wishes go out to India’s champion and his family. February 16, 2024, was considered one of the greatest and most significant days of Ashwin’s cricketing career as he became the second fastest bowler in the country to achieve 500 test wickets, and ending the day with a personal shock is a big blow. Nobody expected an anticlimax, least of all Ravichandran Ashwin.
500 Test Wickets for Ashwin
𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙇𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩! 👏 👏
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 16, 2024
Take A Bow, R Ashwin 🙌 🙌
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/FM0hVG5pje#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @ashwinravi99 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/XOAfL0lYmA
Considering the choice of words used in the BCCI statement, the matter could be of grave concern, but at this time, all kinds of speculations should be avoided.
Ashwin’s mother Chitra played a significant role behind her son’s rise. While his father Ravichandran was focused on Ashwin’s every move, taking him to matches and training sessions, it was Chitra who became Ashwin’s first coach. It’s also a legend that it was Chitra’s advice that prompted Ashwin to switch from fast bowling to spin. As mentioned in The Indian Express, while Chitra was interested in Carnatic music classes for Ashwin, it was cricket that ultimately won. What a decision it turned out to be.
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“I used to note down my son’s performance in every match since childhood. I even noted down Ashwin’s batting and bowling performances in the nets. I used to write down the coach’s comments after every practice session. This was because his mother used to look at my notes and then start advising her son,” Ashwin’s father once said in an interview.
In fact, Ashwin’s parents – Chitra and Ravichandran – shared a special message on the occasion of their son’s 500th test wicket. His mother, speaking to Geo Cinema, said, “Congratulations on your 500 wickets. We have been waiting for this for a long time, and it is a special achievement for anyone from the state of Tamil Nadu.”
Ravichandran Ashwin’s Day on Field
Back on the field, it was an eventful day for Ravichandran Ashwin during the second day of the third test between India and England on Friday. With 39 runs at bat and a critical wicket of Jack Crawley to secure India’s first wicket of the innings, Ashwin was instrumental in the team’s victory. He also became the second fastest bowler to collect 500 test wickets.
With Ravichandran Ashwin’s absence, it has left the Indian team and its plans in a dilemma. While it might not be the right time to talk about cricket amid a family emergency, the fact remains that India finds itself in a precarious position amidst a high-stakes test series and a defensive situation after facing England’s reply of 207/2 in just 35 overs after India scored 445 runs in the first innings.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s absence means that India is not only weakened in the bowling department but also on the field. According to ICC regulations, a team can be given an option only in the case of an injury or a COVID-19 situation. Furthermore, due to Ashwin’s uncertain timeline for return, hopes are high for an official replacement announcement from the series.
