Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin who recently joined the 500 Test wickets club withdraws from the ongoing 3rd Test vs England owing to family medical emergency.
Ashwin withdraws from 3rd Test vs England
The announcement came late on Friday (February 16) after the conclusion of the second day’s play.
“Ravichandran Ashwin has withdrawn from the Test squad, effective immediately due to a family medical emergency,” the BCCI stated in a media release on Friday (February 16). “In these challenging times, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the team fully supports Ashwin.”
Rajiv Shukla, the BCCI vice president, wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “Wishing speedy recovery of mother of R Ashwin. He has to rush and leave Rajkot test to Chennai to be with his mother.”
In the release, the board further added, “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.”
With still 3 days remaining in the 3rd Test, Ashwin’s absence could result in India having only ten players available to take the field.
As far as the match is concerned, England scored 229 runs for 4 wickets loss and trail by 216 runs. Though England lost 4 wickets, Ben Duckett remains a great threat for the Indian side as he nears 150 runs.
On the other hand, India needs to bag some quick wickets before the lunch to stay ahead in the game.
