Video: Ashwin Ravichandran and Kuldeep Yadav have a heartwarming exchange after running through England’s batting in Dharamsala Test | Cricket News

After a morning where dark clouds hovered over Dharamsala’s HPCA Stadium, and England won the toss and opted to bat first, it was Kuldeep Yadav and Ravichandran Ashwin who gave India a way back into the fifth Test. Following a 64-run stand between the English openers, and a punchy 79 from Zak Crawley, Ashwin and Kuldeep split nine wickets between each other as the hosts bundled the visitors for 218.
While Ashwin – playing his 100th Test – snapped four wickets to overtake Tom Hartley as the leading wicket taker in the series (21), Kuldeep one upped him with a fifer, his first in the series.
It was after England were bowled out that the two shared a heartwarming moment on their way back to the dressing room. To mark his 4-fer on a 100th Test appearance, Kuldeep threw the ball to Ashwin – to take back to the dressing room as souvenir, as is custom for the best bowler – but the offie returned it back to India’s pick of the bowlers from the first innings. Another passing sequence between the two took place before Ashwin finally convinced Kuldeep to raise the match ball on his way back to the dressing room. Watch video:

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R Ashwin 🤝 Kuldeep Yadav
Follow the match ▶️ https://t.co/jnMticF6fc #TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @ashwinravi99 | @imkuldeep18 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/hJyrCS6Hqh
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 7, 2024
Elaborating on the moment afterwards, Kuldeep said, “He (Ashwin) told me, “Mere pass 35 hogaya hai. Tu yeh rakh le (I have 35 of these, you keep this one).”
Earlier, before the start of the day’s play, Ashwin was handed a special glass encased 100th Test cap the Indian head coach Rahul Dravid, with his wife and daughters his side. The off-spinner then walked into the ground with the Indian team performing a guard of honor.

– . ! ☺️#TeamIndia | #INDvENG | @ashwinravi99 | @prithinarayanan | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/kIhho9q4uY
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 7, 2024
It was also the 100th Test for England’s Jonny Bairstow, who also had his family present for the special occasion in Dharamsala.
In response to England’s 218, the Indian openers 104-run stand before Stumps on Day 1 as the hosts look in a solid position to finish the series with a fourth win in a row.