ENG vs IND: The 4th Test between India and England at Old Trafford, Manchester, ended in a dramatic draw, thanks to resilient centuries from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. On a final day where England eyed a series-clinching win, the Indian duo held firm and denied the hosts a 3-1 lead in the five-match series.
Stokes Offers Early Draw, India Decline
With India comfortably navigating the final session and both batters closing in on their centuries, England captain Ben Stokes reportedly offered an early handshake to draw the match. However, the Indian camp declined, keen to let Jadeja and Sundar complete their personal milestones.
Handshake Snub Goes Viral
A moment of light-hearted awkwardness went viral on social media when England’s part-time bowler Harry Brook extended a hand to congratulate Jadeja after his century, thinking the match would end there. However, both Jadeja and Sundar continued celebrating their milestones, unintentionally leaving Brook hanging. The incident added an amusing twist to an otherwise tense final day.
Moment of the match.
Ravindra Jadeja scored 100 and Harry Brook intentionally came forward to call off the match. But Washington Sundar totally ignored him.
Brook reaction after that pic.twitter.com/LROE0oXw33
— Selfless (@SelflessCricket) July 27, 2025
Brook, Root Bowl Final Overs as Fast Bowlers Rested
England resorted to bowling part-timers Harry Brook and Joe Root during the final stages of the match. With no realistic chance of a win and only pride at stake, Stokes revealed in the post-match presentation that he didn’t want to risk injury to any of his key fast bowlers with one Test still to go.
“Yeah, I think all the hard work was done by India. They both (Washi and Jadeja) played incredibly well and it got to that point where there was obviously only one result,” Stokes said.
“There was absolutely no chance I was going to risk any of my big fast bowlers through injuries with one more game to go. Dawsy (Liam Dawson) just bowled so many overs this game his body started to cramp up in the legs, so I wasn’t risking any of my frontline bowlers for that last half an hour,” he added.
Jadeja’s composed ton was a reminder of his growing stature as a dependable Test batter, while Washington Sundar’s return to red-ball cricket was marked by grit and poise. His century was particularly important, as it came after a long injury layoff. Together, the pair stitched an unbroken partnership that drained England’s hopes on a pitch that had earlier promised plenty of assistance to bowlers.
Series Decider Set for The Oval
With the series now level at 2-1 in England’s favour, the fifth and final Test at The Oval is expected to be a high-stakes encounter. India must win to draw the series, while a draw or win for England will hand them the series trophy.