Day 5 Drama: Jadeja and Sundar Deny Stokes Handshake, Complete Centuries in Gritty Draw

Day 5 Drama: Jadeja and Sundar Deny Stokes Handshake, Complete Centuries in Gritty Draw

Manchester, England: Drama unfolded on Day 5 of the 4th Test between India and England at Old Trafford as Indian all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar remarkably refused England captain Ben Stokes' offer to shake hands and settle for a draw, opting instead to bat on and complete their individual centuries. Their determined stand ultimately secured a hard-fought draw for India.

The incident occurred in the final session, with India having battled back from a precarious position to ensure a draw was almost inevitable. With Jadeja on 89 and Sundar on 80, nearing their maiden Test centuries, England skipper Ben Stokes approached the Indian batters, seemingly offering a handshake to end the match. However, to the visible surprise and apparent frustration of Stokes and his team, Jadeja and Sundar politely declined, signaling their intent to continue batting until they reached their personal milestones.

This refusal sparked a verbal exchange on the field, with England players, including Zak Crawley and Harry Brook, reportedly questioning the Indian duo's decision. Stump mics picked up Ben Stokes sarcastically asking Jadeja, "Do you want to score a hundred against Harry Brook?" to which Jadeja calmly replied, "I can't do anything."

Despite the simmering tensions, Jadeja and Sundar remained composed. In what some commentators saw as a protest, Stokes then handed the ball to part-time spinner Harry Brook. Both Indian batters took advantage, with Jadeja smashing a six off Brook to bring up his fifth Test century, and Sundar following suit shortly after, completing his maiden Test ton with a boundary.

Indian captain Shubman Gill, in the post-match presentation, defended his players' decision, stating, "We thought they batted brilliantly, they were in their 90s... we thought they deserved a century there." He added that the team's strategy was to "take it ball by ball and take the game as deep as possible."

The match eventually ended in a draw, a significant result for India after being reduced to 0/2 in their second innings, chasing England's mammoth first-innings total of 669. The gritty partnership between Gill (who also scored a century) and KL Rahul (90), followed by the unyielding display from Jadeja and Sundar, ensured India salvaged a draw and kept the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy alive. England still leads the five-match series 2-1, with the final Test set to begin at The Oval.