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'Why should India be nice to England?' Geoffrey Boycott teaches Ben Stokes a lesson for Manchester Day 5 drama
Sir Geoffrey Boycott questioned Ben Stokes and England's tactics on Day 5 of the Manchester Test, asking, “Why should India be nice”?
Former England captain Sir Geoffrey Boycott sided with Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, saying the two Indian batters were well within their rights to continue playing and not accept Ben Stokes' request to call the Manchester Test off early. He also slammed the England captain for the drama that unfolded in the final few minutes of the final day of the fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
England gave it their all on the final day, but Ravindra Jadeja and Sundar managed to keep them at bay by forming an unbeaten 203-run stand for the fifth wicket. Midway through the partnership, Stokes went up to the two batters to shake hands and call the contest off.
However, Jadeja and Sundar were batting on 89 and 80 at that time and were nearing their centuries. Hence, the duo decided to continue batting and go for the milestone. This rubbed Stokes and England the wrong way as the Three Lions captain brought part-timers Harry Brook and Joe Root into the attack.
Brook did not even attempt to bowl properly as he dished out one loose delivery after another. Both teams finally walked off when the two batters brought up the three-figure mark.
“What goes around comes around. England were gobby enough when it suited them, so you can’t blame India for wanting to stay on and allow two batsmen who had worked their socks off to reach their hundreds,” Boycott wrote in his Telegraph column.
Also Read: 'Sundar, Jadeja's efforts will be remembered. Not Harry Brook's 37 kmph ball'
“If you give it, like England do, then you have to be able to take it. I could hear them through the stump mics chipping away at India, so why should they be nice to them and agree to go off when England have had enough," he added.
‘India players tough cookies’
Boycott also went on to write that Indian players are tough cookies and Ben Stokes' England can no longer dictate terms to them. He even stated that he would also have batted on had he been in the situation of Jadeja and Sundar.
“These India players are tough cookies. They do not take a backward step. There is no way I would have let anyone drag me off on 89 after I had worked hard all day to save the game for my team," he wrote.
“Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar deserved their hundreds. They left the ball well, played with the full face of the bat and defended their wickets at all costs. Well done,” he added.
The former England captain also stated that he doesn't understand the mindset of the modern player, where he feels the need to sledge to get into the minds of the opposition camp.
“I’m not sure what it is with modern players. You hear a lot of them mouthing off. It never really happened when I was playing. It will carry on at the Oval and India will go there thinking they got a win at Old Trafford," wrote Boycott.
The Anderson-Tendulkar is currently being led by England as they are 2-1 ahead. India will try to level the five-match series when they take the field in the fifth and final Test at The Oval, beginning July 31.
