‘Even Dhoni Does That but He Takes 10 Steps More’: How ‘Selfless’ Rohit Helped Ashwin Visit His Ailing Mother – News18

Right after picking up his 500^th Test wicket in Rajkot, against England, Ravichandran Ashwin had to leave the team midway and head back home to Chennai to see his ailing mother. The veteran off-spinner, in fact, joined back the team before the hosts registered their biggest win, in terms of margins of runs, against the English side in Test history.

Nobody outside the team knew about what exactly Ashwin went through when Team India was in the middle of the third Test of the series. However, the 37-year-old has now opened up about the same and revealed the entire incident with a special mention to captain Rohit Sharma for his resolute support.

Taking to his YouTube channel, Ashwin shared how the Indian captain helped him overcome the dilemma of whether or not to leave his team at a crucial juncture.

“I asked how she was and if she was conscious. The doctor apparently told me that she was not in a position to be seen. I started tearing up. I was searching for a flight but I couldn’t get one. The Rajkot airport closes down at 6 as there are no flights from there after 6. I didn’t know what to do. Rohit (Sharma) and Rahul (Dravid) Bhai came to my room and Rohit literally asked me to stop thinking and leave to be there with my family. And he was trying to arrange a charter flight for me,” Ashwin shared.

ALSO READ | WPL 2024: Ellyse Perry’s Remarkable Comeback Against Mumbai Indians Takes Royal Challengers Bangalore to Play-Offs

“Kamlesh, the team physio, is a very good friend of mine. Rohit told him to fly with me to Chennai and be with me but I convinced him to stay back. When I went down, the security and Kamlesh were already there, 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 at night. I was just gobsmacked. I cannot even think about it. The two people there were the only ones that I could talk. What if nobody was there? 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? I don’t know. Unbelievable. I saw an outstanding leader in Rohit Sharma that day,” he added.

‘My respect for him grew tremendously after that’

Ashwin was certainly overwhelmed by Rohit’s gesture, stating that someone who thinks about

“I’ve played under several captains and leaders, Rohit has something in him, for his good heart only. He’s won 5 IPL titles, on par with Dhoni,” Ashwin said.

“God doesn’t give it easy. He should get something bigger than all that, which god will give him. 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 respect for him as a leader, he backs a player without question until the last moment. It’s not an easy thing. Even Dhoni does that. But he takes 10 steps more,” he added.