"That defined cricket for me" - R Ashwin weighs in on heartwarming moment from ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test

Indian spin legend R Ashwin praised England's Joe Root and Zak Crawley after their heartwarming gesture for Team India pacer Mohammed Siraj on Day 5 of the recently concluded Lord's Test. Siraj toiled hard for 30 balls before being dismissed by Shoaib Bashir in the run chase.

With the wicket, India were bowled out for 170 and suffered a 22-run defeat. Siraj was visibly heartbroken following the dismissal. Amid the celebration, Root and Crawley were seen consoling the dejected Indian fast bowler.

Ashwin opined that this was exactly what Test cricket is all about. He suggested that while things tend to get intense at times on the field, it was important to brush those issues aside once the game was over.

Reacting to the incident, the former Team India spinner said in the latest YouTube video of his channel, 'Ash ki Baat', (from 7:03):

"When Siraj got out, Zak Crawley and Joe Root came to him. That defined cricket for me. That essentially is what Test cricket is. Sometimes we get caught in the spirit of cricket debate, like the time wasting tactics, all that is part and parcel of the game. To win the game, it is important to fight. But at the end of the day, you should be able to shake off the differences. Joe Root and Zak Crawley shook off the differences that had arisen over the last five days."

Ashwin noted that by sharing the Rajasthan Royals (RR) dressing room with Root in the Indian Premier League (IPL), he has learned that the ace batter was a thorough gentleman.

"I have been with Joe Root in the Rajasthan Royals camp, and he is such a gentleman. He performed well in this Test, took an amazing catch and broke Rahul Dravid's record," he added (7:40).

Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja were involved in a crucial 23-run partnership for the last wicket. Jadeja was the top performer with the bat for the visitors in the essay. The veteran all-rounder showed great composure under pressure, remaining unbeaten on 61 runs off 181 balls.

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"We don't even remember the other team because you are in the moment of celebration" - R Ashwin on Joe Root and Zak Crawley's gesture

In the video, R Ashwin recalled that India won a similar Test match against Australia. He pointed out that all players were busy celebrating the victory, and the thought of the other team didn't cross their minds.

He highlighted that Joe Root and Zak Crawley, on the other hand, felt that they needed to give Mohammed Siraj a pat on the back for his efforts. Hailing it as the standout moment of the Lord's Test, Ashwin remarked (7:55):

"We had won a similar Test at Adelaide Oval. There were partnerships from Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. They needed 28-29 runs when the last wicket fell, and we were just celebrating. We don't even remember the other team because you are in the moment of celebration. But for Crawley and Root to feel Siraj is hurting, they should put an arm around his shoulder was a definite standout moment for me."

England lead the five-match Anderson-Trophy Test series 2-1. The action now moves to Manchester, where the two sides will square off at Old Trafford in the fourth Test.