England’s cricket captain, Ben Stokes, and his team have found themselves under heavy criticism in the cricketing community after a heated conclusion to the fourth Test against India in Manchester. The match ended in a draw, a result that was evident on the fifth day, but Indian captain Shubman Gill opted against ending the game prematurely, a common practice when victory becomes unattainable.
Despite England’s impressive total of 669 runs in their innings, the team failed to dismiss India in either of their batting efforts, making a draw the only feasible outcome. In line with cricketing norms, opposing captains can agree to conclude the match early when the chance of a win is gone. Stokes and his players expressed a desire to finish the game, but Gill chose to allow his batsmen, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, to continue batting, both of whom were on the cusp of centuries.
Stokes, visibly frustrated, confronted Jadeja and Sundar in the middle of the pitch, with the situation escalating as he removed his top bowlers and substituted in batter Harry Brook, who struggled to contain the Indian batsmen. An irate Stokes was heard questioning Jadeja, “You’re going to get a Test hundred against Harry Brook?”, while Jadeja countered, “What do you want me to do, just walk off?”.
Tensions heightened when Jadeja reached his century, and Brook attempted to disrupt the celebration by offering his hand to Sundar, who ignored the gesture to join in Jadeja’s celebration. Notably, English players were seen not applauding the achievements of the Indian batsmen, leaving former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar to remark on their unsportsmanlike demeanor and suggest they continue bowling to allow the Indian side to complete their innings.
Post-match, a video surfaced showing Stokes declining to shake hands with Jadeja and Sundar as Gill finally declared. Social media was rife with condemnation aimed at Stokes and his players for their behaviour. Stokes later clarified his actions in a press conference, explaining that he didn’t want to risk his key bowlers given the impending schedule. He acknowledged the significance of the partnership between Jadeja and Sundar and dismissed the notion that reaching 100 not out was superior to earlier scores of 80 or 90.
In contrast, Gill praised his team for their resilience and performance, stating, “This is no less than a win for us,” referring to their efforts in recovering from a substantial deficit. With the series at a tense 2-1 in favour of England, attention now turns to the concluding fifth Test at The Oval, set to commence on Thursday, amidst an already tumultuous series.