Sunil Gavaskar wants R Ashwin to lead team out on field in Dharamsala in his 100th Test

Sunil Gavaskar has suggested India captain Rohit Sharma should allow Ravichandran Ashwin to lead the team out on the field in Dharamsala, to honour the senior off-spinner in his milestone 100th match. The Dharamsala Test will mark the fifth and final encounter of the series against England.

Ashwin, 37, is playing in his 99th Test in the fourth match in Ranchi and returned with figures of 5/51 in the visitors’ second innings, his 35th five-wicket haul in the longest format. It matched the record of former India spinner Anil Kumble.

“India win tomorrow, and you go to Dharamshala (for fifth and final Test), I just hope that Rohit allows you to lead the team out to the field. That’ll be a wonderful gesture, honour for all that you have done for Indian cricket,” Gavaskar said while speaking to Ashwin on Jio Cinema.

To that, Ashwin replied he would be happy if his presence in the team lasts longer.

“Sunny bhai, you are being too generous, thanks so much. However, expectations about all these things, I think I am well past all that. But genuinely saying, I am enjoying every single moment I am being with this team,” Ashwin said.

“The longer it lasts, I will be happy.” Gavaskar’s co-commentator and former India all-rounder Ravi Shastri also said it would be a perfect way for Ashwin to go to the Dharamsala Test after helping the team win with a five-for in his 99th Test.

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“Yes. But you can pick all the wickets you want, you performed the way you want but it’s nothing without the team winning. It (team win) is the best thing which can happen to a cricketer.

“Win a Test after four-five days, the feeling is surreal. I would like to have that feeling tomorrow. Rohit (Sharma) and (Yashasvi) Jaiswal started very well and hopefully they can carry on that tomorrow,” said Ashwin who reached the milestone of taking 500 wickets in the Rajkot Test.

Outstanding bowling by @ashwinravi99 with a classic carom ball perfected on the streets of Chennai #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/SN58zk5JVe

— simon hughes (@theanalyst) February 25, 2024

Asked about his famous carrom ball, Ashwin said, “My knee has been acting out, but I had a bit of warm-up, I didn’t want to give runs as we’re batting last, any runs saved is a bonus.

“When we were asked as to who wanted to start, I put my hand up. I do enjoy bowling with the new ball. I had to go back, rewire the way I think about the game.

“The way I drop the ball on the pitch, I came to know that it doesn’t have the bite, it was hitting the shin off the pitch. So, I had to go back and mentally readjust, had to fire the ball quicker.”