R Ashwin's Wife Shares Emotional Post Ahead Of 1st India vs England Test

Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin's wife, Preeti Narayanan, wrote an emotional note ahead of Team India’s first Test of the five-match series against England on Friday, June 20. Team India is starting a new era in Test cricket without three big names – Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravichandran Ashwin.

Rohit and Kohli stepped away from Test cricket before the squad for the England tour was announced. Ashwin had retired from international cricket midway through the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after the Gabba Test ended in a draw in Brisbane in December last year.

The experienced off-spinner ended his international career, closing a successful Test journey that lasted more than ten years. He not only left behind a strong legacy but also a big gap in skill and experience, which will be tough to fill for the new Indian team in the upcoming Test series against England.

Ahead of the Headingley Test between England and India, Preeti Narayanan shared an emotional message on her Instagram story. She said that watching Test cricket would bring her mixed emotions now, as Ashwin is no longer part of India’s red-ball team. She added that she will have to find a new way to love the format.

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"Test match day for India, and I woke up with many mixed emotions :) I have to find a way to love it and forget the only way I knew," wrote R Ashwin's wife.

Ravichandran Ashwin was one of the best off-spinners the cricket world has seen. The 38-year-old retired from Test cricket as India’s second-highest wicket-taker. He took 537 wickets in 106 matches at an average of 24.00 and an economy rate of 2.83. His record includes 37 five-wicket hauls and 25 four-wicket hauls.

Many believed Ashwin would break Anil Kumble’s all-time Indian Test record of 619 wickets. But his decision to retire during the five-match Test series against Australia in December 2024 brought a sudden end to his amazing journey.

Ravindra Jadeja to lead Indian spin attack in Ashwin’s absence

With Ashwin now retired from international cricket, Ravindra Jadeja is the most experienced spinner left in the team. He will lead India’s spin attack and also help guide the young spinners during the England series.

Ashwin and Jadeja were one of the most successful bowling pairs in India’s Test history. Together, they took 587 wickets. They are the sixth-best Test bowling pair of all time, behind Anderson-Broad, McGrath-Warne, Muralitharan-Vaas, Ambrose-Walsh, and Lyon-Hazlewood.

With Ashwin leaving the game, especially in Test cricket where he was most successful, Jadeja, now one of the senior players in the squad, will take on more responsibility.

Playing XI of both teams

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (captain), Rishabh Pant (vice-captain and wicketkeeper), Karun Nair, Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir