Ravichandran Ashwin’s journey from 499 Test wickets to 500 to 501 was the toughest journey the veteran Indian off-spinner had to go through in his career, according to his wife Prithi Ashwin. She took to the social media platform Instagram to write a heartfelt note for her husband in the light of him becoming just the 2nd ever Indian to enter the prestigious 500-club.
Ravichandran Ashwin was just 10 wickets shy of that elite list before the start of the 5-match Test between India and England with the 1st Test taking place from 25th January onwards at the Rajiv Gandhi stadium in Hyderabad. Over there, Ashwin collected 3 wickets each across innings before India lost by 28 runs in the most dramatic of fashions.
Ashwin needed another 4 in the 2nd Test but he actually remained wicketless throughout the course of England’s 1st innings with the bat even after bowling 12 overs. But thankfully he didn’t remain wicketless throughout the match as he made sure to collect at least 3 wickets during England’s unsuccessful chase of 399 in Vishakhapatnam where India equaled the series with a 106-run victory.
He needed just 1 now heading into the Rajkot Test and the stage was perfectly set for him at the Niranjan Shah stadium. After Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, and Sarfaraz Khan had lit up the 1st innings with their bat by setting up a total of 445, it was up to Ravichandran Ashwin to continue India’s firm dominance in the game.
And so he did by fooling Zak Crawley and inviting him to play the sweep shot before the flighted delivery took a top edge and landed to the short fine leg fielder Rajat Patidar. Everyone watching at the stadium rose to their feet even the ever-entertaining Barmy Army.
But what followed later that day after day 2 concluded was something none of us saw coming. A late-night confirmation from the BCCI informed that Ravichandran Ashwin is leaving the 3rd Test due to a medical emergency in his family and was initially unlikely to return for that match.
However, by the grace of god, Ashwin returned in time for day 4 during India’s defense of 557 and also scalped his 501st Test scalp before India claimed its biggest Test win by 44 runs.
“Longest 48 hours of our lives”, Ravichandran Ashwin’s wife explains the journey from 500th to 501st wicket
After India’s historic win, Ravichandran Ashwin’s wife Prithi wrote a long paragraph, describing how things panned out in their family when he had to return mid-way through the 3rd Test. She explained that Ashwin’s journey from 500th to 501st Test wicket was the longest 48 hours they had ever experienced, before expressing her pride for her husband.
“500. We chased the 500 to Hyderabad, it didn’t happen. To Vizag, it didn’t happen. So I just bought a ton of sweets and gave it to everyone at home at 499. 500 came and went quietly. Till it didn’t. A lot happened between 500 and 501. Longest 48 hours of our lives. But this is about the 500. And the 499 before that. What a phenomenal achievement. What a phenomenal guy. I am insanely proud of you,” Prithi Ashwin wrote on Instagram.