As the Indian Cricket Team earned a draw in their third test against Australia on Monday, a feat contributed to significantly by Ravichandran Ashwin, the cricketer's wife revealed he was suffering from a "terrible back tweak" before the match. Ashwin, along with Hanuma Vihari, is being credited by experts and teammates for leading India to an exciting draw that is "as good as a win." Amid this, the revelation of the spinner's "unbelievable pain" by his wife Prithi Narayanan is attracting even more adulation towards him. She wrote she was "amazed" at what her husband "pulled off" today. Further referring to the sledging between Ashwin and Australia captain Tim Paine, Narayanan advised her husband to "keep cool" and imagine it was their daughter "crying nonstop."
Team India, through the series, has received an onslaught of racism, sledging, and physical bruises. Despite the unforeseen pushback, the players are receiving due praise for the draw in Sydney today. Narayanan, referring to her husband's game, wrote on Twitter, "The man went to bed last night with a terrible back tweak and in unbelievable pain. He could not stand up straight when he woke up this morning. Could not bend down to tie his shoe laces. I am amazed at what @ashwinravi99 pulled off today."
Ashwin, after the match, expressed gratefulness for his wife's support, saying it had invoked "instant tears."
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The series in Australia has been marred with racism directed towards Indian cricketers. Earlier, players Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj alleged they had been racially abused by the crowds. Sydney Cricket Ground had issued a statement addressing the same.
Sledging Between Ashwin And Paine
During Monday's match, Ashwin and Paine were reported to have exchanged sledges. Sledging in cricket is known as the practice of taunting or mocking an opposition player. According to Indian Express, Paine said on the stump mics, "Can’t wait to get you to the Gabba, Ash." Ravi Ashwin followed it up by saying, "Just like we wanna get you to India, may be your last series."
Narayanan, tweeting about the issue, remarked, "Where to get full transcript of conversations from stump mics."
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Addressing a press conference on Sunday, Ashwin was quoted saying, "This is my fourth tour to Australia. We have had a few similar experiences in Sydney on previous tours. One or two times in the past, players have also reacted and gotten into trouble for it, but it has not been the fault of the players. It has been because of the crowd."
Unrelenting in her support to her husband, Narayanan took a sharp jibe at Paine likening him to her "crying" daughter and asked Ashwin to simply "ignore" the sledging.
Paine, who had even called Ashwin d*ckhead at one point, called a press conference after the match and apologised for his behaviour. "I want to apologise for the way I went about things," he said, adding that the events between him and Ashwin had made him "look like a fool."
Prithi Narayanan Welcomes Anushka-Virat's Baby To The Club
Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma became parents to a baby girl this afternoon. Congratulating the couple, Narayanan, who is herself a mother to two girls with Ashwin, celebrated the joy of another daughter in the Indian Cricket Team. Read about that here.
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