India’s grit trumped England’s domination on a drama-filled final day at Old Trafford, as Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar battled their way to centuries and forced a draw that denied the hosts a series-clinching win. What stood out just as much as the runs was the brief but telling moment of tension when Ben Stokes offered a handshake, and India said no.
With the match headed towards a stalemate and India leading by 75 runs at 386/4 late in the final session, Stokes approached the batters, Jadeja and Sundar, offering to call off play. The Indian duo, both nearing their centuries, politely declined. However, Stokes and the other English players weren't pleased and had a tense exchange with Jadeja, as the England captain shook his head and walked away visibly frustrated.
Also read: India refuse to 'shake hands' with England after Ben Stokes offers to call off Manchester Test; Jadeja, Crawley argue
It wasn’t until Sundar reached his hundred, joining Jadeja in completing his, that both sides agreed to end the game with a handshake.
Speaking after the match, India captain Shubman Gill reacted to the moment of tension in the final minutes in Manchester, making it clear the call to carry on was entirely the batters’ to make.
{{/usCountry}}Speaking after the match, India captain Shubman Gill reacted to the moment of tension in the final minutes in Manchester, making it clear the call to carry on was entirely the batters’ to make.
{{/usCountry}}“It was up to the boys. I thought they batted brilliantly, both of them were in the 90s, and both deserved their centuries,” Gill said at the presentation.
A herculean effort
It was a moment that summed up India’s final-day resolve. After being reduced to 0/2 in their second innings, still a mammoth 311 runs behind, India had to bat out five sessions to survive. Gill’s own fourth century of the series, a 228-ball 103, set the tone before the lower order took charge.
Jadeja and Sundar’s unbroken 203-run stand bled the English attack and added vital psychological mileage ahead of the series finale.
England had earlier posted 669, their fifth-highest total in Test history, and looked set to wrap up the series. But they failed to penetrate a defiant Indian lineup, managing just two wickets on the final day of the Test. Stokes himself took the early breakthrough on Day 5, dismissing KL Rahul for 90, but his frustration grew as the match slipped away.
With the series now poised at 2-1, the final Test at The Oval starting Thursday will be decisive. India’s fightback in Manchester may not have levelled the score, but it has certainly tilted the momentum.