Ravichandran Ashwin recently discussed how Team India captain Rohit Sharma helped him during the Rajkot Test against England when he was feeling down due to his mother’s illness.
According to Ashwin, although MS Dhoni cares for his players, Rohit goes over and beyond to ensure their well-being. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the veteran off-spinner stated that the experience really increased his admiration for India’s captain.
Ashwin said:
“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 had my respect for him as a leader; he backs a player without question until the last moment. It isn’t an easy thing. Even Dhoni does that. But he takes 10 steps more. When it gets this personal, a player can give a life for him.”
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ashwin praised Rohit Sharma’s leadership abilities and stated that he deserves a lot of success since he has a nice heart.
“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? No idea. Unbelievable. I am seeing an outstanding leader in Rohit Sharma. I’ve played with so many leaders and captains in all these years, but it is his 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.”
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin revealed that Rohit Sharma requested that the India team’s physio, who is also a close friend of the off-spinner, accompany him to Chennai.
“I didn’t know how those two hours on the flight went by,” Ashwin continued. “Rohit did something else. Kamlesh, the team physio, is a very good friend of mine. Rohit told Kamlesh to fly with me to Chennai and be with me. He was one of the two physios on the team, and I convinced him to stay back here.”
“When I went down, the security and Kamlesh were waiting. Kamlesh got a call from Rohit on our ride towards the airport, checking up on me and literally asking him to be with me during this tough time. It was 9.30 pm that night. I was just gobsmacked. I cannot even think about it. Because the two people there are the only ones that I could talk to here. What if nobody was there?”
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin did not enter the field on Day 3 of the Rajkot Test, instead traveling to Chennai to care for his ill mother, who fainted due to a headache. The seasoned campaigner returned to the team on Day 4.
Ravichandran Ashwin Acknowledges Jay Shah’s Role in Organizing Charter Flight
Ravichandran Ashwin said that when he wanted to return to Rajkot to rejoin the squad, BCCI secretary Jay Shah secured a charter jet for him.
He stated that if he had not booked a charter flight, he would have had to travel for a whole day to reach Rajkot. Ravichandran Ashwin continued:
“It takes a day to get to Rajkot from Chennai by flight. But the secretary, Jay Shah, asked me to be at the airport at 7 AM and arranged a flight for me. The flight reached there by 11 because it was pretty slow because of headwinds and tailwinds.”
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ashwin also said how Rohit Sharma attempted to organize a charter airplane for him when he needed to go Chennai.
“I didn’t know what to do. Rohit and Rahul Bhai came to my room, and Rohit literally asked me to stop thinking anymore and leave to be there with the family, and he was trying to arrange a charter flight for me.”
Ravichandran Ashwin
Ravichandran Ashwin shined with the ball in the five-match Test series against England. He also reached significant milestones, playing his 100th Test and taking 500 wickets in the format. He took the most wickets in the series, with 26.