Ashwin went to bed last night with a terrible back tweak and in unbelievable pain: Prithi Ashwin

When Ravichandran Ashwin arrived in Australia for the fourth Test tour, there was a lot of talk about his previous performances Down Under. And by performance, we mean bowling performance. However, what no one had seen coming, essentially until the fifth day of the third Test in Sydney, was that Ashwin would do something great with the bat in hand. 

The Tamil Nadu off-spinner battled out for more than two hours at the crease, taking a few short balls on his chest as well. He batted for 128 balls, scoring probably the most vital 39 runs of his career. The 34-year-old proved once again why is he among one of the most vital players for the Indian team.

I am amazed at what Ashwin pulled off: Prithi Ashwin

Like Ashwin, his wife, Prithi Ashwin, is also an ardent lover of cricket. During India’s matches, she has been often seen tweeting a lot, especially when her husband is playing. While Ravichandran was battling out in the middle against the Aussie quicks, his wife was watching him take every blow and bat through. After the match, she put a final appreciation tweet in which she stated how bad Ashwin’s body felt going into the fifth and final day. 

She mentioned that he had tremendous back pain and could not stand up properly in the morning. She praised her husband and disclosed that she was amazed by what the off-spinner had done.

Here is her tweet

The man went to bed last night with a terrible back tweak and in unbelievable pain. He could not stand up straight when he woke up this morning. Could not bend down to tie his shoe laces. I am amazed at what @ashwinravi99 pulled off today.

— Prithi Ashwin (@prithinarayanan) January 11, 2021

Instant tears!! 😭Thanks for being there with me through all this🙏🙏 https://t.co/aauA4Bg7Dy

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) January 11, 2021

Ashwin stands up in absence of key players

Ashwin has stood up really well in this series. The veteran of 74 Tests, took key wickets in Adelaide and then followed it up by a match-winning effort in Melbourne. Even though he didn’t get too many wickets in this Sydney, the experienced campaigner came to the party with the bat. 

In the absence of star players like Virat Kohli, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami, Ashwin has stepped up and played like a true champion. The way he has bowled in this series is invaluable to India’s cause. Going into the final Test at the Gabba, the all-rounder will hope to continue performing well and also take more responsibility with bat and ball in absence of Ravindra Jadeja.