Ravichandran Ashwin, one of India's heroes in the drawn third Test in Sydney against Australia, responded with a heartfelt tweet after his wife Prithi took to the social media platform to share that Ashwin was battling a terrible back injury throughout the final day's play. "The man went to bed last night with a terrible back tweak and in unbelievable pain. He could not stand up straight when he woke up this morning. Could not bend down to tie his shoe laces. I am amazed at what @ashwinravi99 pulled off today," Prithi had tweeted after Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari both batted through injuries to stave off Australia's menacing bowling attack.
Ashwin, who stayed unbeaten on 39 off 128 deliveries, responded to Prithi's tweet by saying that it brought him to tears and thanked her for being there with him.
"Instant tears!!" Ashwin tweeted, adding a crying emoji. "Thanks for being there with me through all this."
Ashwin came out to bat after Cheteshwar Pujara was dismissed by fast bowler Josh Hazleood before Tea. With Ravindra Jadeja, who suffered a thumb injury in India's first innings and has been ruled out of the fourth Test, a doubt to bat, it was a precarious situation when the offspinner came to the crease.
To add to India's worries, his partner Hanuma Vihari had also suffered a hamstring injury that almost left him incapable of running.
But Ashwin valiantly faced a barrage of short deliveries -- suffering a few blows in the process -- and a chirpy Tim Paine, but did not let the Australians break his defence.
Ashwin and Vihari's heroics following some brilliant knocks by the characteristically resilient Pujara and Rishabh Pant ensured that the series stayed tied at 1-1 going into the fourth and final Test at the Gabba in Brisbane.