 "Ravindra Jadeja and Ben Stokes in an animated chat during Day 5 of the fourth Test between India and England in Manchester. Image credit: Screengrab/JioHotstar")
Team India made an emphatic statement on the final day of the fourth Test against England in Manchester with Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar rejecting the offer of a draw from opposition skipper Ben Stokes. The incident took place at the start of the final hour on Day 5, at which point India’s score read 386/4 in 138 overs with Jadeja and Sundar batting on 89 and 80 respectively.
The two spin-bowling all-rounders were approaching their centuries, and understandably turned down Stokes’ offer. However, India’s decision to bat on wasn’t greatly appreciated by the home team, with Stokes and the rest of the Englishmen seen having an animated chat with ‘Jaddu’ before the start of the 139th over.
Jadeja and Sundar complete centuries in style, leave Stokes and Co frustrated
Jadeja and Sundar ended up completing their centuries with a flourish shortly after, the latter bringing three figures for the first time in his international career. Jadeja brought up his fourth Test hundred – and his second in the ongoing series – with a six off Harry Brook down the ground. Sundar moved to 99 with a boundary in the part-time seamer’s next over before completing the milestone with a brace in the final delivery.
Stokes and his teammates, however, ended up giving Jadeja and Sundar an earful on the ground, with some of the comments being captured on the stump microphone.
“If you wanted a hundred you should have batted like it earlier,” said one of the English players.
“Jaddu please shake your hand and be done,” opener Zak Crawley, who was involved in a similar situation with India skipper Shubman Gill on Day 3 at Lord’s, was heard telling Jadeja.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsTrott slams England’s on-field behaviour in final hour of Day 5
Meanwhile, former England batter Jonathan Trott wasn’t happy with how Stokes and Co behaved on the field, adding that the roles had pretty much been reversed from the controversial showdown at the ‘Home of Cricket’ in the previous Test.
“I think the roles are reversed compared to how it was at Lord’s. England are starting to get a little uppity because things aren’t going their way. Things change quickly,” Trott said during commentary on JioHotstar.
The match officially came to an end after Sundar’s century as India finished at 425/4 after 143 overs in their second innings after getting bowled out for 358 in the first innings and facing the prospect of a certain defeat after getting reduced to 0/2, with England having collected a massive 311-run first innings lead after posting 669.
Captain Shubman Gill (103) and KL Rahul (90), however, came to India’s rescue after Yashasvi Jaiswal and B Sai Sudharsan departed for ducks. Gill and Rahul took India to stumps on Day 4 with an unbroken 174-run third-wicket stand .
And after Rahul and Gill were dismissed in the morning session, their partnership ending at 188, spin-bowling all-rounders Jadeja and Sundar with an unbroken 203-run stand for the fifth wicket that resulted in England being held to a draw for only the second time in the ‘Bazball’ Era and giving India a shot at drawing the series 2-2 in the final Test at Lord’s that gets underway on Thursday.