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Team India head coach Rahul Dravid was in awe of veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for making himself available for the team amidst a tough time in his personal life.
On the eve of picking his 500th Test wicket in Rajkot, Ashwin had to withdraw from the Test due to a medical emergency in his family. However, the off-spinner remarkably returned on Day 4 and helped India beat England by a staggering 434 runs.
The hosts wrapped up the series with a win in the fifth Test in Dharamshala by an innings and 64 runs, giving them a 4-1 series victory.
Speaking to the host broadcaster after India's comprehensive win in Dharamshala, Rahul Dravid had this to say about Ravichandran Ashwin's commitment to the team:
"I will say Ashwin coming back to the team after what he went through after 24 hours and wanting to come back and contribute for the team - I think really signifies what this team is about and the character of the team. And I think that was just for me, probably the standout moment of the series and really gladdens your heart as a coach to kind of environment that that had been created."
India missed the services of multiple starters, including Rishabh Pant, Virat Kohli, and Mohammed Shami. However, Rahul Dravid claimed that he was confident in the depth of talent in Indian cricket and that it was heartening for him to see fresh faces and experienced players step up in crunch moments.
Rahul Dravid on India's sensational comeback
India had lost the first Test of the series in Hyderabad by 28 runs. However, Rahul Dravid hailed the players for not getting disheartened after that loss and was proud of how they made a comeback to clinch the series 4-1.
On this, he stated:
"I thought we were able to keep a lot of calmness in spite of losing that first match. I still believed that we had the skills and the abilities to compete. And just the way we performed, especially when we've been put under pressure at various stages in the series.
"So as a coach and as a support staff, I couldn't be really prouder of this team and the way they've played right through the series."
Yashasvi Jaiswal was adjudged the Player of the Series for his staggering 712 runs, which included two double-hundreds. Ashwin ended up as the highest wicket-taker in the series with 26 scalps, including two five-wicket hauls. One of them came in his 100th Test in Dharamsala, which he ended with nine wickets overall.
