Ben Stokes and Co. faced backlash from former England cricketer Mark Ramprakash for their antics during the Manchester Test against India. On the final day, India battled with grit to save the match, as Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar held their ground with unwavering focus, both nearing well-deserved centuries. When Stokes suggested ending the game in a draw, Jadeja refused, opting to play on. The decision visibly rattled the English side, who resorted to sledging, while their bowlers showed little intensity, seemingly conserving energy rather than pushing for a result.
Stokes, who was miffed with the Indian batters' response said, “Jaddu, do you want to get a Test 100 against Brook & Duckett?” Jadeja responded and said, “What do you want me to do, just walk off?” Zak Crawley, who stood close to the pitch, was heard saying: “You can, just shake your hand.”
Ramprakash was critical of the words the English team used on the stump mic and said it's a shame to dwell on such things.
“The stump microphone and words don’t reflect well on Ben Stokes’ team, who, let’s be fair, are doing a fantastic job of reinvigorating Test cricket. They are playing wonderfully well. The cricket has been on such high class that it is a shame to dwell on it,” said Ramprakash to Sky Sports.
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Jadeja and Sundar were batting 89 and 80, respectively, when Stokes offered to shake hands for declaration. The two batters decided to continue and completed their century before they eventually settled for a draw.
{{/usCountry}}Jadeja and Sundar were batting 89 and 80, respectively, when Stokes offered to shake hands for declaration. The two batters decided to continue and completed their century before they eventually settled for a draw.
{{/usCountry}}He further questioned what England would have done if one of their players had been in a similar situation batting in the 90s.
“You have to wonder if England had a player on 90 not out, would we have continued. We hear about England players being very proud on being on the honour boards at Lord’s and other grounds because those milestones are huge achievements. I can understand where India were coming from,” he said.
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“Ben Stokes was possibly a bit premature”
Ramprakash further called Stokes' decision to settle for a draw at that stage premature. He also highlighted how the moment was particularly significant for Sundar, who was on the cusp of his maiden Test century, and for Jadeja, who has also been in sublime form this series.
“I think Ben was possibly a bit premature going up (to the Indian batters) in the way he did. It has to be agreed by the opposition captain. India had one player, Washington Sundar, who hadn’t got a hundred before and I know that England side like to not think about milestones but for that player, he may never get there again. It was quite a big moment for him. And equally for Jadeja to try and get another Test hundred. They kind of earned the right to stay on, I suppose, from their point of view,” he said.