India’s men’s cricket team made a valiant stand at Old Trafford. They battled tooth and nail to secure a hard-earned, thoroughly-deserved draw with England that has kept their series alive. Shubman Gill led the Indian side with remarkable character, scoring a century in the second innings, while Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar contributed with impressive performances. The draw sets the stage for a decisive fifth Test at The Oval, where both teams will vie for supremacy.
Ben Stokes was awarded the player of the match award for his remarkable bowling contributions. He said he was disappointed with how his team did overall. Stokes the bowler-bowling-batsman, first to five wickets in India’s first innings. He did just run into a big injury worry that could keep him out of their upcoming battle.
Shubman Gill’s Century and Leadership
Shubman Gill’s masterclass was the focal point of India’s domination during the fourth Test. He scored a brilliant double century in the second innings, taking his total to four centuries in the series. This accomplishment ranks him into few elite players. He has now gone on to become just the third Test captain in history to score four Test hundreds in a single Test series.
Specifically, Gill’s experience and poise on the field shined as he helped lead his teammates when they faced adversity. Reflecting on the match, he remarked,
“This is no less than a win for us, given we were around 300 runs off the lead. Our batsman put on a great display.”
He went on to recognised the challenge presented by England’s attack too though, saying .
“As soon as England got the new ball, it was doing a little bit, but our batters did really well, and it was tremendous, with a little bit of luck going our way as some balls can get dragged on, brilliant batting and brave batting.”
Gill’s resistance proved pivotal as India fought to stay alive in the series.
Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar’s Contributions
Besides Gill’s MushtaqAli-esque apocalypse, there was Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar who both displayed their newfound batting prowess. Jadeja’s second unbeaten century was a big moment too as he became the first-ever Indian to score more than 1,000 Test runs against England. During the series, he became the third Indian player to accomplish this breakthrough.
A fine player under pressure, Sundar proved it once again, scoring his first Test century in that very match. He reached this milestone with impressive strokes, including several boundaries, culminating in a huge six that propelled him to his fifth Test half-century. Those contributions provided ample ballast to the Indian batting order and were crucial to their effort to save the match.
Ben Stokes’ Mixed Emotions
Despite England’s inability to secure a victory, Ben Stokes received recognition for his efforts, being named player of the match. Though in good spirits, he did voice some concern about his own fitness as the show continues. Stokes stated,
“Mentally, I feel fine; physically, I’ve been better. It has been a pretty big workload this series.”
His sentiments are a striking indication of the physical toll this series has taken on players on both sides.
For England’s coach, Brendon McCullum, the immediate task will be to regroup his team. Meanwhile England’s Ben Stokes and his team are preparing for that fifth Test at The Oval. Next week’s contest will be a big one. Put simply, both teams are desperate for a win and would love to end this series on a positive note.
