England captain Ben Stokes expressed frustration with Indian players Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar for not agreeing to a draw during the final hour of the fourth Test match. Instead, the Indian batters focused on completing their centuries.
As the game was clearly heading for a draw on Sunday, Stokes offered a handshake — a common way to signal the end of a match when a result is no longer possible. But Jadeja (on 89) and Sundar (on 80) refused the offer and continued batting to reach their centuries.
Ben Stokes said he made the offer because he didn’t want to overwork his tired bowlers, especially with the final Test just days away.
“They played really well and helped their team out of a tough situation. But getting 10 more runs doesn’t change that. The team was already safe from losing,” Stokes told reporters.
India officially declared the match a draw only after both Jadeja and Sundar reached their centuries. For Washington Sundar, it was his first-ever Test hundred.
Stokes added that with the short time between matches and the heavy workload on his bowlers, it didn’t make sense to continue the game once the draw was obvious.
“Once the final hour started, we were ready to shake hands. I wasn’t going to risk my key bowlers,” he said.
The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy now stands at 2-1 in England’s favor. The fifth and final Test of the series will begin Thursday at The Oval.
