R Ashwin’s wife, Prithi Narayanan, wrote a touching message after the Indian spinner returned to play on Day 4 following a tough time at home. Ashwin had hit his 500th wicket in Test cricket during the Rajkot Test and attended a press conference afterward. Later that night, it became public that Ashwin had left the team due to a family emergency.
Prithi shared on Instagram, “We hoped for 500 in Hyderabad, but it didn’t happen. Nor in Vizag. So, I celebrated with sweets at 499. 500 came quietly.” She continued, “A lot happened between 500 and 501. It was the longest 48 hours of our lives. But this is about the 500. And the 499 before that.
She expressed pride in Ashwin’s achievement and called him an outstanding person, saying, “I am very proud of you, R Ashwin. We love you.”
Addressing Ashwin’s departure, she said, “Family comes first. When we heard about his family issue, there was no doubt. He wanted to be with them, and it was the right thing to do. We missed him, but we were happy he came back. It shows his character.”
Former India coach Ravi Shastri mentioned that Ashwin flew home on a special flight arranged by BCCI secretary Jay Shah. “Jay Shah organized a charter plane for Ashwin’s trip home and back,” Shastri revealed during commentary.