India have lost the services of Ravichandran Ashwin for the remainder of the third Test against England after the spinner withdrew from the match to attend to a family emergency.
Ashwin had been central to events up to this point, his 37 with the bat helping India to 445 all out and then claiming his 500th Test wicket as England, inspired by an unbeaten century from Ben Duckett, surged to 207 for two in reply on Friday.
At the press conference after stumps, Ashwin spoke of his joy at reaching that career milestone. But all that faded into the background later when, at 10.50pm local time, the Board of Control for Cricket in India issued a statement from its honorary secretary, Jay Shah, revealing that Ashwin was leaving the camp mid-Test match and will not return.
It read: “Ravichandran Ashwin has withdrawn from the Test squad, effective immediately due to a family medical emergency. In these challenging times, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the team fully supports Ashwin.
“The BCCI extends its heartfelt support to the champion cricketer and his family. The health and well-being of the players and their loved ones are of utmost importance. The Board requests respect for the privacy of Ashwin and his family as they navigate through this challenging time.
“The Board and the team will continue to provide any necessary assistance to Ashwin and will keep the lines of communication open to offer support as needed. Team India appreciates the understanding and empathy of the fans and media during this sensitive period.”
Rajeev Shukla, vice-president of the BCCI, later wrote on X: “Wishing speedy recovery of mother of @ashwinravi99. He has to rush and leave Rajkot test to Chennai to be with his mother.”
It represents the second such withdrawal by one of India’s star players. Virat Kohli pulled out the first two Tests for unspecified personal reasons just days before the series opener in Hyderabad and was subsequently ruled out of the entire series.
The England batsman Harry Brook also stayed at home due to personal reasons at the start of the tour and has played no part in the series.
