 "Hussain, Atherton and Manjrekar tear into Stokes for farcical antics at end of Manchester Test: 'He behaved like a spoiled kid'")
England captain Ben Stokes is facing criticism from former cricketers, including Nasser Hussain, Mike Atherton and former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar, for his antics towards the end of the fourth India-England Test at Manchester on Sunday. England would have hoped to steamroll India and canter to a series win on Day 5, but a dogged Shubman Gill, who scored 103, and a gritty partnership between Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, who both scored hundreds and put up an unbeaten 203 runs for the fifth wicket stand, crushed England’s dreams.
With India on 386/4 and a draw looking imminent, Stokes offered handshakes to Jadeja and Washington as he wanted an early end to Day 5, but the Indian batters, who were very close to their respective centuries, including a first one for Sundar, refused to take the offer. This enraged Stokes, who even questioned Jadeja if he wanted to get to his hundred against a part-time bowler like Harry Brook.
Also Read | Ben Stokes reveals reasoning behind early handshake offer to Jadeja and Sundar
Jadeja was on 89 not out when the incident happened, while Sundar was on an unbeaten 80. Nonetheless, the match continued after Indian batters refused to settle for a draw and quickly went on to complete their centuries before finally shaking hands with the England players.
Hussain, Atherton slam Stokes’ antics on Day 5 of Manchester Test
Former captain Hussain was one of the prominent names from the England cricket fraternity who criticised Stokes for his antics towards the end of Day 5 after India initially refused to take a draw. He disapproved of bringing in Brook to bowl and defended the Indian batters’ desire to reach their hundreds.
“I didn’t have a problem with it. I mean, I know England seemed to have a problem with it,” Nasser Hussain said on Sky Sports. “They’re a little bit tired — tired bowlers, tired legs — they wanted to get off. The two lads had worked hard to get into the 80s and 90s; they wanted Test match hundreds.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“Stokes didn’t have to bowl Brook, and it looked a bit silly at the end there, but we make far too much of these things. They played well, they deserved a draw, they deserved to be there at the end.
Watch the incident here:
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“All credit to India. It’s only England’s second-ever draw under this Bazball regime — the other one on this ground as well, because of rain. This one was a draw simply because England couldn’t roll over the two left-handers, who were brilliant.”
Also Read | From Eden Gardens 2001 to Old Trafford 1990, revisiting India's greatest rescue acts in Test cricket
Former England captain Atherton, in his column in The Times, called the finish a “farce” while labelling the draw result as a victory for India. The headline of his column read: “India escape with draw that will feel like a victory as Test ends in farce.”
“With the final match beginning on Thursday, this result will feel more like a victory for India, because not only did they escape with a draw entirely through their own merits, they forced England’s bowlers to endure two hard days in the field,” Atherton wrote.
Manjrekar accuses Stokes of behaving like a ‘spoiled kid’
Former Indian cricketer Manjrekar accused Stokes of behaving like a spoiled kid for showing frustration over the game not being closed at his will.
“In the end, what we saw was actually the frustration of a team that is used to dominating at home. Very rarely has there been a draw – it has happened twice in the Bazball era. And you’ve got to say that it was the first time that Ben Stokes had to change his principle of winning the toss and batting first was against India, and this draw without a weather intervention has come against India. India have done a lot of things that have put Ben Stokes off, and the kind of style and leadership that he has,” Manjrekar said on JioStar after the match.
Also Read | Steely determination of Indian batting lineup runs England ragged at Old Trafford, keeps Test series alive
“In the end, what you saw was Ben Stokes frustrated, not used to the kind of result. And finally, I will say this. He was a bit of a spoiled sport and behaved like a spoiled kid. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar had batted for hours, and getting this close to a hundred, there was no way they were going to accept. Ben Stokes will rue what he has done. But it tells you exactly how frustrated England are, and all this is only because of the kind of fight this new-age Indian batting has put up.”
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