Jadeja, Washington hit tons as India pull off draw in Manchester Test; series alive

Ravindra Jadeja notched up his second Test hundred, and Washington Sundar completed his maiden as the pair helped India pull off a draw in the Manchester Test against England, with the five-match Test series still alive. India, on the brink of another loss in this Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy up until tea on day four, just lost two more wickets in the remaining four sessions, giving themselves a shot at tying the series in the final Test at the Oval in London. It, however, is only the second draw in the Bazball era, with the first one happening at the same venue during the home Ashes.

Although a draw at Old Trafford still has England's nose in the front (2-1), it keeps the doors open for India to take confidence from this game and use it to its advantage to win the final Test in London and level the series 2-2. Trailing behind by 311 runs, India scored 425 for four in their second innings, winning all sessions since losing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan off successive deliveries on the stroke of tea the previous day.

KL Rahul and captain Shubman Gill must be lauded for laying the platform for the batters to come and make merry and frustrate hosts, who harboured hopes of taking the series home with one game remaining. The pair stitched a 188-run stand for the third wicket, batting across two sessions to safeguard India’s chances in Manchester.

After KL got out on 90 to an unplayable delivery from Stokes early on day five, Jofra Archer accounted for Gill later, shortly before lunch. Gill scripted history with his fourth Test hundred on a single tour, breaking several batting records surrounding it. His dismissal, however, brought England back in the game, only for them to surrender to the two bowling all-rounders, who never looked like backing down from the challenge.

The ‘handshake’ saga

There was, however, a brief moment of unpleasantness and distress between both teams on the field. At a time when Jadeja and Washington were approaching their respective tons, a rather tired and frustrated Stokes approached them for a handshake, which in cricketing terms means that he agreed to a draw, wishing for an early finish to his game. That whole episode turned slightly ugly after Jadeja, perhaps rightfully, denied shaking hands with the English captain, indicating that India wished to continue batting, which irked Stokes.

Although Stokes did pass on some remarks, the batting pair stood unfazed, completing their respective centuries soon after, and then agreed to wrap up this game.

Meanwhile, the Oval will host the fifth and final Test starting next Thursday (Jul 31).