“Hallmark of a skipper” – Sunil Gavaskar lauds Rohit Sharma for giving due credit to Ravichandran Ashwin on the latter's 100th Test
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has lauded skipper Rohit Sharma for stepping aside and acknowledging Ravichandran Ashwin’s contributions on his 100th Test, which came against England at HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala earlier this year. Gavaskar pointed out that Rohit allowing Ashwin to lead the team out of the ground following his fifer was the hallmark of a true leader.
Notably, Rohit will lead India at the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final and 2025 Champions Trophy after guiding India to 2024 T20 World Cup glory.
Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-Day:
“Rohit acknowledged Ashwin’s contributions by letting him lead the team out to field in the all-rounder’s 100th Test, a hallmark of a skipper confident and relaxed in his own skin and ready to step aside and give the accolades to the achiever.”
For the unversed, Ravichandran Ashwin bagged nine wickets against England in his 100th Test. The 38-year-old remains India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Tests (522*) after former India captain Anil Kumble (619 scalps).
“It would have been fitting if they had captained India too even if it was for one game” – Sunil Gavaskar lauds Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja’s fightback in first Test vs Bangladesh
Sunil Gavaskar praised Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja’s fightback with the bat in the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai. The cricketer-turned-commentator said it would be only fitting had they led India in at least two games.
He wrote in the same column:
“In the first Test of the current two-test match series, the way the two Ravi Ashwin and Jadeja brought the team back in the game showed this team is never done and can get back even if the referee has reached the count of eight. Both these all-rounders have been magnificent over the years and rescued and then won several games for India."
“It would have been fitting if they had captained India too even if it was for one game, but for them winning matches for India is the only thing that matters” he added.
Ashwin and Jadeja shared a 199-run partnership for the seventh wicket after the hosts were reduced to 144/6 in the first Test against Bangladesh. The duo also bagged six and five wickets, respectively.