Ravichandran Ashwin wins hearts on hockey field with 'great gesture'

Ravichandran Ashwin is one of the great off-spinners of all time. He has etched his name in the annals of Indian cricket with his contributions to the sport across formats, especially in red-ball cricket. The Tamil Nadu cricketer recently helped India get off to a great start in the 2023-2025 cycle of the World Test Championship as Rohit Sharma's men defeated the West Indies 1-0 in a two-match Test series last month.

On Wednesday, August 9, the experienced cricketer visited the Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai to witness the Hockey clash between India and Pakistan in the Asian Champions Trophy. Prior to the match, Ashwin was seen standing alongside the players of the two teams and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin during the national anthems. The star all-rounder shook hands with the players and wished them good luck for the match. As the high-voltage match got underway, Ashwin was seen cheering for the Indian team from the stands as he sat alongside other dignitaries.

India dominated the match and won 4-0 to oust Pakistan from the tournament. After the match, Ashwin chatted with goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who was effusive in praise for the Indian cricketer. The two veteran Indian athletes hugged each other after the conversation, and that made for a heartwarming visual.

"It was a great gesture from him. He is a legend, a senior player, current international team member, and still, he recognised me. He came to say hi. It's something I can cherish for my lifetime as nobody does that. Seriously," Sreejesh was quoted as saying by Times Now after the interaction with Ashwin.

It is always great to see Indian athletes from one sport supporting athletes from another sport. Last month, another star cricketer, Shreyas Iyer, was seen at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru as he cheered for the Indian football team during their SAFF Championship 2023 semifinal against Lebanon. He also made the trip to the same stadium for the finals, where India emerged victorious by beating Kuwait in a thrilling penalty shootout. Deepak Chahar was also present alongside Shreyas.