England’s Test captain Ben Stokes has responded to the handshake controversy following the fourth Test against India at Old Trafford. The incident began when Indian players Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar declined to accept a draw offer as they neared their centuries.
Many fans and former cricketers debated whether this was against the “spirit of cricket.” On the final day, India was recovering from a large deficit. Ben Stokes reportedly offered to settle for a draw, but Jadeja and Sundar chose to keep batting.
After the match, a video showed Ben Stokes shaking hands with most Indian players but seemingly ignoring Jadeja. This led to speculation that Stokes was unhappy with the decision to reject the draw. A brief verbal exchange between Stokes and Jadeja was also noticed.
At the post-match press conference, Ben Stokes downplayed the situation. He praised the Indian players for their brilliant innings and said England tried hard to win. Stokes explained that once a result was unlikely, he wanted to avoid over-bowling his main fast bowlers to manage their fitness before the final Test.
Ben Stokes also defended bowling part-time player Harry Brook in the last overs, which some criticized as easing off. He said this decision was to manage player workload.
The cricket community is divided over the controversy. Former South African fast bowler Dale Steyn supported Stokes but acknowledged the situation was complex. Spinner Tabraiz Shamsi backed the Indian players’ choice to continue batting.
Despite the debate, Jadeja and Sundar’s partnership helped India secure a crucial draw. This kept the five-match series alive. The final Test will take place at The Oval starting July 31.
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