NEW DELHI: India's Test captain Rohit Sharma commended Ravichandran Ashwin for displaying immense character by rejoining the team despite a family emergency during the third Test against England in Rajkot.
Ashwin, who left the match after the second day's play to attend to a medical situation in his family, returned on the fourth day to contribute to India's historic 434-run victory.
Following Ashwin's milestone achievement of reaching 500 Test wickets on Day 2, the veteran spinner opted to prioritize his family commitments and temporarily stepped away from the game.
With India left short-handed in the bowling department, Rohit acknowledged the challenge of missing a key player but emphasized the importance of family above all else.
In a post-match press conference, Rohit stated, "When you lose your most experienced bowler in the middle of a Test match, it’s not easy. But everything aside, family comes first. And when we heard the news, there were no second thoughts in our minds that he should do what he felt was right."
The Indian skipper praised Ashwin's decision to prioritize his family's well-being and expressed gratitude for the spinner's return to the squad on the fourth day of the match.
"He wanted to be with the family, which was absolutely the right thing to do. It was good for him, and to make a way and be a part of the team shows the character and the kind of person he is. We were happy to have him back," Rohit added.
Ashwin's return proved vital as he made an immediate impact by dismissing England's Tom Hartley, becoming the first bowler in Test history to dismiss 250 left-handed batters. Alongside Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, Ashwin contributed to India's dominant performance in the final session of Day 4, clinching eight wickets among themselves to seal the team's emphatic victory.
Rohit also lauded Jadeja, who received the Player of the Match award for his exceptional all-round performance, which included a century in India's first innings and a five-wicket haul in the final session.
