India will have play the remainder of the third Test of the five-match series against England at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, now known as Niranjan Shah Stadium, in Rajkot with 10 men and four specialist bowlers.
This comes after off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had to immediately withdraw from the ongoing third Test due to a family medical emergency, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement on Friday.
IND vs ENG, 3rd Test Day 3 – LIVE
“Ravichandran Ashwin has withdrawn from the Test squad, effective immediately due to a family medical emergency.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,” BCCI said in a media release.
“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 statement added further.
With Ashwin no longer taking part, India will not be able to replace him as any change to the playing XI can only be done before start of the match.
According to ICC rules, umpires can allow a substitute fielder if any player is unavailable, with the caveat being that players can keep wickets but is not allowed to bat or bowl. Devdutt Padikkal has come on as the player in place of Ashwin.
It is also being reported that Ashwin might not be available for the remaining two Test matches in Ranchi (Feb 25-29) and Dharamsala (March 7-11). As far as off-spin bowling replacement is concerned, Team India already has Washington Sundar in their ranks.
Ashwin earlier in the day had joined the 500-wickets club in Test cricket before leaving for his hometown Chennai to attend to a medical emergency in his family.
Ashwin became only the second Indian to achieve this remarkable feat of 500 Test wickets as the 37-year-old maestro dismissed Zak Crawley for wicket number 500 during the third Test against England in Rajkot.
Besides Nathan Lyon and Muthiah Muralidaran, he is only the third off-spinner to reach the record. In terms of matches and deliveries, Ashwin reached the milestone the second fastest. Since making his Test debut in November 2011, Nathan Lyon is the only player who has claimed more wickets than Ashwin. Despite having played 26 more games than Ashwin, Lyon’s current total of 509 is only nine more than Ashwin’s.
Of all the aspects of Ashwin’s career, his record at home stands out the most, with 347 wickets at an average of 21.22 in 58 Tests. He will become just the fifth bowler, following Anil Kumble, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, and Muttiah Muralidaran, to reach 350 home wickets with three more wickets.
(With inputs from Agencies)
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