'Spare us the whining. Spirit of what?' Australian media takes Ben Stokes and England to the cleaners

Australian media slammed Ben Stokes and England for hypocrisy after Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar denied a handshake to complete their centuries.

Australian media showed no mercy to England and captain Ben Stokes after their frustration turned into farce when India’s Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar stalled the offer to shake hands and end the match as they neared their centuries. England’s “moral hypocrisy” was called out, with Stokes branded a “tantrum-thrower” as Aussie media slammed the Poms for whinging about the ‘Spirit of Cricket’.

India's Washington Sundar and England's captain Ben Stokes greet each other at the end of the fourth Test match between India and England (PTI)

With a draw inevitable in Manchester and less than half an hour left on the clock, Stokes walked up to Jadeja and Sundar to offer a handshake and end the match. But the two Indian batters, whose defiance had already denied England a likely win, declined the gesture. Jadeja was in the 90s, Sundar in the 80s, and both were keen to reach their well-deserved centuries.

The refusal left Stokes visibly fuming. He not only lashed out at the duo with verbal jibes but also tossed the ball to part-timer Harry Brook in mock protest. Brook then bowled comically slow deliveries—one clocked at just 37 kmph—as England's frustration boiled over.

India, unfazed, took just 15 minutes to complete the formalities, with Jadeja scoring his fifth Test ton and Sundar notching up his maiden century. The visitors forced a draw and kept the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy alive, setting up a tantalising decider at The Oval.

'Play fair, old boy!'

The Australian media did not spare Ben Stokes or England, lashing out at their dramatic reaction during the final hour at Old Trafford—an outburst that drew attention away from India’s breathtaking batting display.

Fox Cricket took aim with a headline that read “Spirit… of what? How pompous England exposed Bazball’s great double standard.” The article slammed England’s moral posturing:

"England bang on about the Laws of the Game, as written by the MCC at Lord’s. But when opposition teams follow those laws to England’s disadvantage? Time to awaken the ‘Spirit’ again. Give it a prod. Shake some sense into them. Play fair, old boy!"

Brisbane Times ran a scathing piece titled “Spare us the whinging, England. The only thing embarrassing about Old Trafford was your tantrum.” It highlighted how England, the self-proclaimed saviours of Test cricket, now appear more focused on results than entertainment—an irony not lost on even Steve Smith.

"The contradictions are piling up," it added, pointing to how Bazball's ethos is being undermined by England’s own actions.

Herald Sun, in its strongly-worded editorial “England’s appalling display mars absolute Test classic,” tore into the "unsportsmanlike" conduct of the English side and their refusal to acknowledge the match-saving efforts of Jadeja and Sundar.

Code Sports went a step further, declaring England to be suffering from an “identity crisis on the eve of the Ashes tour.” The article, titled “Moral hypocrites England decide tons are anti-cricket,” mocked England’s fury over Jadeja and Sundar daring to deny them a handshake and instead chasing personal milestones.