India's Great Escape: How a Handshake Snub Fueled an Epic Old Trafford Draw

What a match. Seriously, what a match. The fourth Test at Old Trafford wasn't just a game of cricket; it was a five-day epic of defiance, determination, and a little bit of late-game drama. India, with their backs against the wall, pulled off one of the great rearguards to force a draw, keeping the series very much alive. It’s the kind of Test match that reminds you why this format is the pinnacle of the sport.

Key Highlights

• ✓ India batted for over five sessions to secure a remarkable draw in the fourth Test at Old Trafford.
• ✓ Three Indian batsmen—Shubman Gill (103), Ravindra Jadeja (107), and Washington Sundar (101)—scored centuries.
• ✓ Ben Stokes delivered a heroic all-round performance with 141 runs and a 5-72 bowling figure.
• ✓ Controversy erupted when India rejected England's offer for a draw, leading to on-field tension.
• ✓ England still leads the series 2-1, setting up a thrilling decider at The Oval.

India's Unbelievable Fightback

Let's set the scene. Before lunch on Saturday, India was in a world of trouble. They were 0-2 in their second innings, still a massive 311 runs behind England’s colossal first-innings score of 669. For most teams, that’s game over. But this Indian side, led by the magnificent Shubman Gill, clearly had other ideas. They didn't just survive; they dominated for more than five full sessions.

Resuming on Day 5 at 144-2, still 137 behind, the task was simple but monumental: bat all day. Gill, who started the day on 78, anchored the innings beautifully alongside KL Rahul. Their partnership was a gritty 184 runs before Rahul was eventually out for a brilliant 90. Gill carried on, weathering a fierce spell from a pained but determined Stokes, to reach his own century—a captain's knock of 103 from 228 balls. It was a masterclass in concentration and skill under immense pressure.

But even with Gill’s dismissal, England’s hopes for a quick wrap-up were dashed. In came Washington Sundar, promoted up the order in the absence of the injured Rishabh Pant, to join Ravindra Jadeja. What followed was simply incredible. The pair put on an unbroken stand of 203, grinding England’s bowlers into the dust. They were solid in defence, picked their moments to attack, and completely took the game away from the home side.

💡 What's Interesting: Shubman Gill has been in magnificent form this summer. His 722 runs in this series are now the most ever scored by an Indian player in a single series. He's truly leading from the front.

Stokes the Warrior, and One Costly Drop

If there's one man who personifies England's fighting spirit, it’s their captain. Ben Stokes was, as ever, at the center of everything. He became only the fourth Englishman in history to score a century and take five wickets in the same Test match, with his incredible 141 and figures of 5-72. You’d think that would be enough to win any game, but India just wouldn't break.

After not bowling on day four, sparking concerns over his fitness, Stokes came out roaring on Sunday. He was visibly pushing his fragile body to its limits, constantly holding his shoulder and upper leg, but still managed to extract uneven bounce from the pitch. His reward came when he trapped KL Rahul leg-before with a skidding in-swinger. He truly is, as one commentator put it, a "miraculous cricketer."

Here’s the thing, though. For all of Stokes' heroics, the match may have turned on one single moment. After Gill was dismissed by Jofra Archer, in came Jadeja. The very first ball he faced, he hung his bat out, and the ball flew to first slip. Joe Root, usually so reliable, leaped, juggled the ball, and shelled the catch. Archer collapsed to the turf in sheer disappointment. It was the chance England needed, and from that moment on, they barely got another sniff.

The Handshake That Wasn't

Now, let's get to the spicy part. With about 15 overs left in the day's play, India had a comfortable lead, and the result was a foregone conclusion. Stokes, probably exhausted after bowling 138 overs in the innings, walked over to Jadeja and Sundar to offer a handshake and call it a draw. But the Indian pair, both closing in on hard-earned centuries, politely declined. They wanted to carry on.

Stokes was visibly bemused, shaking his head as he walked away. The refusal lit a fire under the England team, and tensions flared. The stump mics picked up a verbal exchange between Zak Crawley, Harry Brook, and Jadeja. As commentator Sanjay Manjrekar noted on air, it seemed only right for India to play on. "If the roles reversed, would Ben Stokes have taken it?" he asked. It’s a fair question.

England's frustration was palpable. In what felt like a bit of a mockery, they brought on part-time spinner Harry Brook. His bowling was… dubious, to say the least, serving up full-tosses that Jadeja happily smashed to the boundary. In a moment of poetic justice, Jadeja brought up his fifth Test ton, a fantastic 107, and soon after, Sundar completed his maiden Test hundred with a score of 101. Only then, with 10 overs remaining, was the draw finally agreed upon.

Echoes of '05 and a Decider Awaits

This whole match had a familiar feel to it, bringing back memories of the epic 2005 Ashes. That series also featured a tense, unlikely draw at this very ground, Old Trafford, when Australia held on for dear life. While this wasn't quite as dramatic as that nine-wickets-down thriller, India's escape is no less remarkable and just as significant for the series.

The big question now is what state these two teams will be in for the final Test at The Oval. The fatigue is immense. England have been in the field for 222 more overs than India across the series. Stokes is clearly battling injuries, and England might need to refresh their seam attack with players like Josh Tongue or Gus Atkinson. India has their own concerns, with wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant ruled out with a fractured foot and a decision to be made on the workload of star bowler Jasprit Bumrah.

Conclusion

In the end, this draw felt like a victory for India and a bruising defeat for England. It was a testament to India's spirit, highlighted by three phenomenal centuries and an unbreakable will to survive. Ben Stokes gave everything, as he always does, but even his superhuman efforts weren't enough to break the Indian resistance. As Stokes himself said, "We've been throwing punches, India have been throwing punches." It’s been high-quality, back-and-forth cricket, and it is absolutely fitting that this wonderful contest gets a live finale at The Oval.