WATCH: Kuldeep Yadav and Ravi Ashwin’s heartmelting camaraderie, a juggle between who takes the match ball home

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:

𝙈𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙇𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙚!

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

Earlier, before the start of the day’s play, Ashwin was handed a special glass encased 100th Test cap by the Indian head coach Rahul Dravid, with his wife and daughters by his side. The off-spinner then walked into the ground with the Indian team performing a guard of honor.

𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 – 𝗳𝘁. 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝘄𝗶𝗻! ☺️#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.

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