The Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin opened up on Rohit Sharma’s Gesture in response to his Mother’s illness by the time of the third test of England’s tour of India 2024.
Ravichandran Ashwin on Rohit Sharma’s Gesture
The Veteran Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin withdrew from the third test mid-way to attend to his sick mother who collapsed after a headache and was hospitalized in Chennai.
The incident happened just after Ashwin became the second Indian bowler to claim 500 wickets in Test Cricket after Anil Kumble.
During the latest video on his YouTube Channel, Ashwin revealed about his mother’s hospitalization and how Rohit Sharma‘s gesture left him shocked.
He even called Rohit an Outstanding leader for handling the situation. “I asked how she was and if she was conscious. The doctor 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 asked me to stop thinking and leave to be there with my family. And he was trying to arrange a charter flight for me,” Ashwin said.
“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 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 were 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? I don’t know. Unbelievable. I saw an outstanding leader in Rohit Sharma that day,” the veteran spinner added.
Ashwin added that his good heart and empathy made him a successful captain and even named MS Dhoni for praising him.
“I’ve played under several captains and leaders, but it is his (Rohit’s) good heart that has made him what he is today – someone with five IPL titles as equal to Dhoni.
God doesn’t give it easy. He should get something bigger than all that, which god will give him. In such a selfish society, a man who thinks about someone else’s well-being is a rarity.
My respect for him grew tremendously after that. I already respected him as a leader, he backs a player without question until the last moment. It’s not an easy thing. Even Dhoni does that. But he takes 10 steps more,” Ashwin concluded.
Eventually, India won the series 4-1 after securing the win in the fifth test by an innings and 64 runs at HPCA Stadium.
