Sunil Gavaskar asks Rohit Sharma to handover India's Test captaincy to Ravichandran Ashwin, off-spinner refutes on the legend's face

Ravichandran Ashwin registered the 35th five-wicket haul of his career on Day 3 of the fourth Test against England at the Jharkhand State Cricket Association in Ranchi.

Former India opener Sunil Gavaskar wants Ashwin to lead the Indian side during the fifth Test that will be played in Dharamsala. Ravichandran Ashwin surpassed Anil Kumble’s record of 350 wickets in Test cricket in India and he recently became the second Indian to take 500 wickets in Test cricket.

Ravichandran Ashwin was not having the best of the series against England but he returned to some form after a brilliant fifer against England in the second innings of the fourth Test.

He took figures of 5/51 to end the England innings on 145 in the second innings. India needs to chase only 192 in the fourth innings to win. Sunil Gavaskar wants Ravichandran Ashwin to lead the side in the fifth Test as it will be the 100th Test match of Ashwin’s career.

“India wins tomorrow and you go to Dharamsala. I just hope that Rohit allows you to lead the team out to the field when. That will be a wonderful gesture, a wonderful honor for all that you’ve done for Indian cricket,” Gavaskar said while interacting with Ravichandran Ashwin after the stumps on Day 3. Ravichandran Ashwin replied by saying that he is not expecting such things and he is genuinely enjoying every moment with the team.

“Sunny bhai, you’re being too generous. Thank you so much. I have no expectations out of all these things. I think I’m well past all that but genuinely saying I’m enjoying every single moment that I am being with this team and the longer it lasts, I will be very happy,” responded Ravichandran Ashwin on his expectations to lead the side for his 100th Test.

Ravichandran Ashwin will play his 100th Test in Dharamsala

The fifth Test between India and England will be the 100th Test for Ravichandran Ashwin in his career and it has been a terrific career for the 37-year-old as he has taken 507 wickets in his career as of now at an average of 23.92 and a bowling strike rate of 51.30.

Only Anil Kumble is above him in terms of wickets taken by an Indian in Test cricket as the leg spinner took 619 wickets in the longest format. When Ashwin completed his 500 wickets, he was requested by Kumble to finish somewhere near 620 or 625 to break his record.

India has not lost a Test series since 2012 and has won 16 consecutive Test series at home. The hosts are looking to win their 17th Test series win at home since the defeat against Sir Alastair Cook-led England in 2012. India only needs to win the Ranchi Test where they are already on the verge of winning the Test match.

With this win, India will seal the series against England as they have already won the second and third Tests before this which were in Vizag and Rajkot. With this loss, Ben Stokes will suffer his first defeat in a bilateral Test series as a captain.