Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has applauded captain Rohit Sharma for stepping aside and acknowledging veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin’s contributions on his 100th Test, which came against England at HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala earlier this year as well. However, Gavaskar added that Rohit allowed Ashwin to lead the team out of the ground following his fifer was a ‘hallmark of a skipper’ as well. Notably, Rohit will lead India at the 2025 World Test Championship (WTC) final and 2025 Champions Trophy after guiding India to the 2024 T20 World Cup win as well.

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.”

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Notably, R Ashwin claimed nine wickets against England in his 100th Test. The veteran remains India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Tests (522*) after former India captain Anil Kumble (619 scalps) as well. And, Sunil Gavaskar also applauded R Ashwin and Ravindra
Jadeja’s fightback with the bat in the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai as well.

“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 concluded.