The entire family is built on cricket and to facilitate my career: R Ashwin

NEW DELHI: Veteran Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed the aftermath when he had to fly back home due to a medical emergency in the family during the third Test at Rajkot.

Ashwin had to withdraw from the second Test after day two’s play because of a family medical emergency and missed day three’s play entirely, with the statement of his overnight withdrawal from the match. Ashwin had picked his 500th Test wicket in the form of England opener Zak Crawley on day two of the third Test in Rajkot becoming the second fastest to the milestone.

However, Ashwin rejoined the squad on day 4 of the third Test after being unavailable for the third day. Ashwin in an interview with ESPNcricinfo ‘The Cricket Monthly’ shed light on the day’s event and termed it as the most nervous moment of his career.

"The entire family is built on cricket and to facilitate my career. It hasn't been easy. It has been very hard on them. It's been a big roller-coaster for them - going through the emotions and ups and downs that I myself do. I am sure most parents and families are like that, but my parents' lives are even more intertwined with my cricket.”

“I mean, I'm in the second half of my thirties and my dad still watches a game like he would watch my first international game. It means a lot to them. Compared to what it means to them, it definitely means less to me,” he added.

It makes sense that Ashwin mentioned his parents, wife, and mother in particular when discussing his incredible accomplishment of passing his 100th Test. The seasoned spinner acknowledged and gave gratitude for the sacrifices his family has made along the way.

"Anything and everything around what I have to do, or what my cricket is like, it's very seamlessly attached to them. They have eliminated anything that comes in the way of my cricket. That has been the sole purpose of their lives ever since I can remember," he added.

"It is very difficult to find a family like me, my dad and mom. I've forgotten to add two other members: my grandfather and my aunt. We used to live in a joint family. For about eight years, my granddad used to bring my cricket kit, my cricket clothes, milk and all and just stand outside the ground or spread a newspaper and sit on the ground, and make sure that everything was going right, because both my parents were working. If I came back home, my aunt would be the caretaker. She would provide what I needed."

During the fifth and final Test against England in Dharamshala, starting from March 7, Ashwin will be playing his 100th match in the longer format of the game.

In the third Test of the ongoing series in Rajkot, Ashwin became only the ninth and second Indian bowler after Anil Kumble to clinch 500 Test wickets joining the elite club of bowlers such as Muthiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, James Anderson, Stuart Broad, Kumble, Glenn McGrath, Courtney Walsh and Nathan Lyon

In addition, he broke the 350-wicket barrier in home Tests and surpassed Kumble to become India's top wicket-taker. Ashwin has claimed 507 wickets in 99 Test matches, 156 wickets in 116 ODIs, and 72 wickets in 65 T20Is.