Credit: BCCI/Google
The fourth Test match between England and India ended in a draw at Old Trafford in Manchester after the batting effort put up by the guests. After taking a big lead of 311 runs, England cornered India in the second innings at 0/2, but the meticulous innings from KL Rahul (90), Shubman Gill (103), Washington Sundar (101*), and Ravindra Jadeja (107*) thwarted their hopes of clinching the Test and series on day five.
Tensions flared during the final hour when English captain Ben Stokes offered a premature handshake to call off the game. India’s dressing room, led by Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir, declined the offer, prioritising the milestones of their all-rounders, who were near their respective centuries. Stokes, visibly frustrated, resorted to handing the ball to part-time bowler Harry Brook, who bowled full-tosses at 35 mph, allowing Jadeja and Sundar to reach their centuries.
This incident drew criticism from some quarters, with former England captain Michael Vaughan reportedly calling it “farcical” while some are defending it. Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali has stirred discussion by supporting India’s refusal to accept the handshake by Ben Stokes. “India were right on their part to not shake hands”, he said to journalist Vibhu Bhola. He further said, “Stokes offered the draw, but India wanted to honor their players’ efforts, and I respect that.” Moeen Ali recently visited England’s nets before the second Test in Birmingham, he highlighted the competitive yet respectful nature of the series, noting that such moments add to Test cricket’s intensity.
India’s refusal to shake hands sparked a heated exchange on the pitch
In his post match statement Ben Stokes defended his decision to offer the handshake, stating, “The 10 more runs ain’t gonna change the fact that they saved their team from a tricky situation.” However, the move sparked a heated exchange between Jadeja and England’s Zak Crawley, with the Indian all-rounder later celebrating his century with his trademark sword gesture. India’s decision to continue batting was backed by Shubhman Gill, who said, “We thought they deserved a century. Every match going till the last session teaches us a lot as a group.”
The draw has set the stage for a thrilling series finale at The Oval, starting July 31. India, trailing 2-1, cannot win the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, but can level the series at 2-2. England, despite their frustration, remain favorites, with Stokes’ leadership and Root’s record-breaking form keeping them buoyant. With the addition of Narayan Jagadeesan in place of Rishabh Pant, it will be interesting to see how things pan out for the Indian team in the concluding match of the series.
