India’s enthralling series in England is going all the way to the finish after the resilient tourists drew the fourth Test at Old Trafford on Sunday — amid spicy scenes in which Indian batters refused match-ending handshakes from English players while pursuing centuries.
Record-breaking skipper Shubman Gill scored his fourth century of the campaign before Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar also made hundreds as India finished on 4-425 in their second innings – a lead of 114 runs – inside the last hour.
England remain 2-1 up in this five-match contest ahead of a quick turnaround to Thursday’s start of an Oval finale.
An India victory in south London would ensure a share of the spoils for Gill’s men in a series where the first four Tests have all gone to the last day.
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Defeat, rather than a draw, looked likely when India collapsed to 0-2 in the opening over of their second innings on Saturday as Chris Woakes struck with successive deliveries following England’s mammoth first-innings 669.
But Gill, in on a hat-trick, went on to score 103 in a marathon seven-hour stint as he turned the tide during a stand of 188 with KL Rahul that ended before lunch on Sunday.
Jadeja, reprieved first ball when Joe Root dropped a tough slip chance, went on to make 107 not out, his first century of the series following four fifties, with fellow spin-bowling all-rounder Sundar unbeaten on 101 – his maiden Test hundred.
“I am extremely pleased with our batting effort over the past couple of days,” said Gill.
“I think we were put under a lot of pressure, but the way we responded, especially after losing two wickets, was a very brave effort.”
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Sundar and Jadeja’s unbroken partnership of 203 on a flat pitch frustrated a toiling England, despite the best efforts of inspirational captain Ben Stokes.
This match was a personal triumph for Stokes as he became just the fourth England cricketer to score a hundred and take five wickets in the same Test, his 141 on Saturday following a haul of 5-72 in India’s first-innings 358.
But Stokes, who insisted “pain is just an emotion”, repeatedly clutched the top of his leg – having had hamstring surgery earlier this year – and also suffered a bicep strain.
“When you put in good performances for the team, the joy is dictated by how you feel at the end of the Test and the result,” said Stokes.
“Obviously, I’d give the bottle of champagne and the medal (away) in a heartbeat if we were on the right side of the result.”
India resumed on 2-174 with KL Rahul 87 not out and Gill 78 not out. Stokes, the leading bowler on either side this series with 17 wickets at 25.23, brought himself on at the start of Sunday’s play after not bowling Saturday and had obdurate opener Rahul, plumb lbw for 90 to a nip-back ball that kept low.
And when Gill was caught behind off Jofra Archer, India were still not safe at 4-222.
But Sundar and Jadeja, after his first ball reprieve, were largely untroubled. And even when Stokes braved the pain barrier again, Sundar pulled the England skipper for a six and a four off successive balls to reach fifty.
The match ended in farcical circumstances when batter Harry Brook came on to bowl with Sundar on 80 and Jadeja on 89. Stokes told the umpires that England were done and offered India’s batters a handshake, but the rival skipper Gill declined, opting to put more overs into the opposition’s legs and pursue hundreds.
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There was only a three-day turnaround before the series finale in London.
“This will not please the England captain,” former England bowler Stuart Broad said on Sky Sports commentary.
Sundar and Jadeja received some verbal abuse from England fielders after India decided to continue batting so the duo could reach triple figures.
“You want to get a Test hundred against Harry Brook?” Stokes quipped sarcastically at Jadeja.
England opener Zak Crawley continued: “Just shake your hand.”
Fellow Englishman Ben Duckett said: “How long do you need, an hour?”
Jadeja smashed a woeful Brook delivery for six to complete a 182-ball century, but the Yorkshireman, who was intentionally bowling rubbish, attempted to interrupt the Indian all-rounder’s celebration by offering a handshake with Sundar still on 92. He was ignored.
“The England players are not applauding the century here, they are standing with arms folded,” former India captain Sunil Gavaskar said on Sony Sports Network following Jadeja’s hundred.
“I’d ask them to keep batting, and keep the team on the field for the full 15 overs.”
Sundar’s two off Brook took him to a 206-ball hundred – the last act of the match.
“It got to that point where there was obviously only one result left on the table and I wasn’t going to be risking any of my frontline bowlers, especially with a quick turnaround,” Stokes later explained during the post-match press conference.
“That partnership was massive, they played incredibly well and I don’t think there would have been too much more satisfaction at walking off 100 not out than 80 or 90.”
India coach Gautam Gambhir said his batters were within their rights to bat on, and suggested England may have done the same in their situation.
“If someone is batting on 90 and the other one is batting on 85, don’t they deserve a hundred? Would they have walked off? If someone from England side was batting on 90 and 85 and someone had the opportunity to get his first Test 100, wouldn’t you allow him to do it?” Gambhir said.
“They weathered the storm. It’s up to them. If they want to play that way, nothing more to say. I think both those guys deserved a 100 and fortunately they got it.”
The fifth Test between England and India gets underway at The Oval on Thursday.
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