Ben Stokes lashed out after Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar declined his handshake offer, opting instead to chase Test centuries and rescue India from a likely defeat.
Ben Stokes: England’s Driving Force and His Frustration at Manchester
Ben Stokes has undeniably been the key difference between England and India in the first four Tests. The England captain, known for enduring marathon spells despite severe physical pain, leads the series with 18 wickets. He ended a two-year century drought with a brilliant 141 at Old Trafford in the fourth Test—an innings interrupted by leg cramps that forced him to retire hurt at 66. With back-to-back Player-of-the-Match awards, Stokes is the main reason England leads 2-1 with one Test remaining.
There’s much to admire about Ben Stokes: a tireless right-arm bowler who constantly makes an impact, and an inventive left-handed batsman whose slow starts often build into massive scores.
However, the same Ben Stokes showed a different side on the final day in Manchester. Frustrated by the resilient partnership between Washington Sundar, batting impressively at No. 5 in Rishabh Pant’s absence, and Ravindra Jadeja, Ben Stokes allowed his temper to get the better of him after a challenging, disappointing day for England.
Jadeja, Sundar dig in as England’s frustration turns into bitterness
Four minutes before lunch, with India at 222 for four and needing 89 runs to avoid an innings defeat, the two left-handers—Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar—joined forces. England believed they were one wicket away from breaking India’s resistance, but after Joe Root dropped Jadeja off his very first ball, the pair dug in deep. England’s confident attacks gradually gave way to growing frustration, hope, and eventually desperation as India overturned a massive 311-run first-innings deficit to take a 75-run lead by the final hour.
At the 15-over mark, when a draw could have been mutually agreed upon, Ben Stokes approached Jadeja to offer the handshake signaling the end of the match. Jadeja, nearing a century on 89, politely declined. His partner Sundar was also closing in on his maiden hundred with 80 runs. Test centuries are rare and precious, especially when they help secure the team’s safety. Jadeja’s last hundred had come against England just the previous year, and Sundar’s highest score was 96 not out, also against England. The logical move was to bat on, reach the milestone, and then agree to the draw.
But England’s perspective was different. They seemed to believe they held exclusive authority over the “spirit of the game” and took offense when accused of poor sportsmanship, yet claimed moral high ground whenever convenient. Stokes appeared to expect unilateral control over when the match could end, disregarding the idea of mutual consent. Moreover, the fact that India’s Nos. 4, 5, and 6 were all poised to score centuries for the first time in history likely stung.
Stokes’s frustration surfaced in sharp words to Jadeja: “If you wanted to get a century, you should have batted like it earlier.” And then mockingly: “Jaddu, you want to get a Test hundred against Harry Brook?” Of course, Stokes had the choice to bowl his frontline bowlers but deliberately refrained from risking them, a privilege seemingly reserved only for England.
When questioned at the post-match press conference if he would have ended the game if an English young batter was on the verge of a maiden century, Stokes evaded a direct answer. He praised the satisfaction of saving a match and downplayed the importance of personal milestones. Was it grandstanding? Posturing? Or just the weariness of a captain physically and mentally drained?
While Stokes the cricketer commands admiration, his sour and mean-spirited conduct in those closing moments of the Manchester Test was a disappointing contrast—not the kind of leadership moment fans had hoped for.