 "Watch: Kuldeep Yadav pays heartwarming tribute to R Ashwin who returns the favour")
The opening day of the fifth Test between India and England in Dharamsala on Thursday was witness to a heartwarming moment as Kuldeep Yadav paid tribute to Ravichandran Ashwin in what is the latter’s 100th Test. Ashwin and Kuldeep stole the show yet again after the duo shared nine wickets between them, with Kuldeep picking a fifer. After England were bowled out for 218, Kuldeep gave Ashwin the match ball despite having taken a five-wicket haul.
Ashwin, however, returned the ball back to Kuldeep in a kind gesture, as the 29-year-old led Team India back to the dressing room.
You can watch the video here
Ahead of the Test match, Ashwin also received a special Test cap from head coach Rahul Dravid and his teammates, with his family being present. He was also given a guard of honour while walking towards the field ahead of the Test.
“It’s quite an emotional moment. Not just not just for me. I’m not one who would be shaken by emotions a lot. But today is a hugely emotional moment for a man who is sitting back in Chennai. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make it here,” Ashwin had said during his speech at the felicitation ceremony.
“The first day (as a kid cricketer), I still remember it very clearly, I would put my kit in front of the petrol tank, and then he would put me on the bike and take me to the coaching camp.
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View All“A government employee (his dad) wanted to take his son all the way miles ahead in life, somewhere he imagined I would ever get. He got me here because of the help of my mom and, of course, my granddad,” added Ashwin.
Ashwin has become the 14th Indian player to complete 100 Tests, and joins an elite list that includes the legendary Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar. During the third Test in Rajkot, Ashwin had become the ninth cricketer overall and only the second Indian after Anil Kumble to get 500 Test wickets.
India clinched the Test series against England with a five-wicket win in the fourth Test in Ranchi, and came into this match on the back of an unassailable 3-1 lead. Ashwin has so far taken 21 wickets from five Tests.
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