IND vs ENG: Sunil Gavaskar makes a special request to Rohit Sharma for Ravichandran Ashwin in Dharamsala

India need just 152 runs on Day 4 of the fourth Test to complete a series win against England in Ranchi. The hosts are already 2-1 ahead in the five-match series.

Ravichandran Ashwin is just one Test shy of playing 100 matches for India.

Ranchi: The legendary Sunil Gavaskar made a special request to Rohit Sharma and asked the Indian captain to allow Ravichandran Ashwin to lead the side in the fifth Test against England in Dharamsala, starting on March 7. India are already 2-1 up in the series and need 152 runs with all 10 wickets in hand to win the ongoing fourth Test match in Ranchi and ensure a series victory.

This is not the first time that Gavaskar wanted to see Ashwin lead the Test side. A few years earlier, Gavaskar wished for the same, but it didn’t materialize. While Ashwin didn’t get the chance to lead India for the longest time, Gavaskar wants the off-spinner to take charge in his 100th Test as a mark of respect for the Tamil Nadu cricketer who made his debut in 2011.

‘India wins tomorrow and you go to Dharamsala. I just hope Rohit allows you to lead the team onto the field. That will be a wonderful gesture, a wonderful honor for everything you have done for Indian cricket,” Gavaskar said on Sunday after the third day of play.

However, as usual, Ashwin wants to focus on his work and win the Test match and series for India. “Sunny Bhai, you are too generous. Thank you so much. I have no expectations of any of these things. I think I’m far behind all that, but I honestly say that I’m enjoying every moment of being with this team and the longer it lasts, I’ll be very happy,” Ashwin replied.

A true giant of the game, Ashwin is currently playing his 99th Test with 507 wickets, 35 five-wicket hauls, 24 four-wicket hauls, 3000 runs and five hundreds. Be it becoming the No. 1 Test bowler to play the final of the World Test Championship, Ashwin has been part of all of India’s major achievements in his career so far. And when the fifth Test begins, the right-hander will join Virat Kohli, Ishant Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara in the rare list of Indians to play 100 Test matches.