India drew the Manchester Test thanks to tons from Gill, Jadeja and Sundar and 90 by Rahul.
Former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has taken a huge dig at England captain Ben Stokes for creating unnecessary drama by getting irked by Indian batters refusing his handshake offer on day 5 of the Manchester Test.
Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar were nearing their centuries when Stokes offered a handshake after the mandatory 15 overs began to end the game in a draw. However, Jadeja and Sundar opted to play on to get their centuries, irking Stokes and the England players, who wanted to go off.
Stokes, Duckett, and Crawley went off on Jadeja for not accepting the handshake, and Stokes brought on Harry Brook to bowl full tosses as Jadeja and Sundar completed their centuries and then walked off.
Gavaskar praised India's tenacious batting in the second innings, which saw them lose just four wickets in just over five sessions, while simultaneously exposing England's hypocrisy.
Taking a cue from England following the second Test in Birmingham, Gavaskar criticized their dubious strategies. When the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy's first Test was won by the home team, Stokes had declared, "Even if they had given us 600, we would have gone for it."
After England lost the test at Edgbaston, Gavaskar became irritated by what one of their players said.
"Satisfied? I am proud. I am enormously proud of this team for what they have done. I mean, just four wickets ’[fell]. Whatever the pitch might have been—good pitch, flat pitch—whatever it is, they stuck around there under pressure. The question can be asked: Did England bat too long before they declared? When India gave England 600-plus runs to chase at Birmingham, some of the England players who came out for the press conference said, 'India was scared, and that's why they gave us 600 runs.' But I also remember reading somewhere earlier on when England was in India, 'Give us 600 runs. We will chase anything.' That's what India did, but you ended up 336 runs short. So that is just bravado, a little bit of loud talk," Gavaskar said on the Sony Sports Network.
In the wake of the outcome, Gavaskar also anticipated Shubman Gill would respond more forcefully and add salt to England's wounds. Although Gill was unable to attend India's post-match press conference, Gavaskar maintained that he would have asked Stokes some awkward questions if he had been in his position.
"Shubman Gill… if he is at the media conference… I would like him to ask, 'Why did you take a lead of 311? Why were you not happy with a lead of 240? Or 250? After you [Ben Stokes] got your hundred, why did you not declare and give your bowlers a little extra hour to try and get other wickets? I know he won't ask. He is too nice a guy. He is not this SG. That SG is different. But this SG would have 100 percent asked. And I am asking now," he added.
The series remains 2-1 in England’s favor, but India has a chance to level the series when the fifth and final Test begins at the Oval from July 31 onwards.