Sundar and Jadeja follow Gill's lead as defiant India draw fourth Test with England

Yahoo

9 hours ago

India's enthralling series in England is going all the way to the finish after the resilient tourists drew the fourth Test at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Record-breaking skipper Shubman Gill scored his fourth century of the campaign before Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar also made hundreds as India finished on 425-4 in their second innings -- a lead of 114 runs -- inside the last hour.
England remain 2-1 up in this five-match contest ahead of a quick turnaround to Thursday's start of an Oval finale.
An India victory in south London would ensure a share of the spoils for Gill's men in a series where the first four Tests have all gone to the last day.
Defeat, rather than a draw, looked likely when India collapsed to 0-2 in the opening over of their second innings on Saturday as Chris Woakes struck with successive deliveries following England's mammoth first-innings 669.
But Gill, in on a hat-trick, went on to score 103 in a marathon seven-hour stint as he turned the tide during a stand of 188 with KL Rahul that ended before lunch on Sunday.
Jadeja, reprieved first ball when Joe Root dropped a tough slip chance, went on to make 107 not out, his first century of the series following four fifties, with fellow spin-bowling all-rounder Sundar unbeaten on 101 -- his maiden Test hundred.
- 'Brave effort' -
"I am extremely pleased with our batting effort over the past couple of days," said Gill.
"I think we were put under a lot of pressure, but the way we responded, especially after losing two wickets, was a very brave effort."
Sundar and Jadeja's unbroken partnership of 203 on a flat pitch frustrated a toiling England, despite the best efforts of inspirational captain Ben Stokes.
This match was a personal triumph for Stokes as he became just the fourth England cricketer to score a hundred and take five wickets in the same Test, his 141 on Saturday following a haul of 5-72 in India's first-innings 358.
But Stokes, who insisted "pain is just an emotion", repeatedly clutched the top of his leg -- having had hamstring surgery earlier this year -- and also suffered a bicep strain.
"When you put in good performances for the team, the joy is dictated by how you feel at the end of the Test and the result," said Stokes. "Obviously, I'd give the bottle of champagne and the medal (away) in a heartbeat if we were on the right side of the result."
India resumed on 174-2 with KL Rahul 87 not out and Gill 78 not out.
Stokes, the leading bowler on either side this series with 17 wickets at 25.23, brought himself on at the start of Sunday's play after not bowling Saturday and had obdurate opener Rahul, plumb lbw for 90 to a nip-back ball that kept low.
And when Gill was caught behind off Jofra Archer, India were still not safe at 222-4.
But Sundar and Jadeja, after his first ball reprieve, were largely untroubled.
And even when Stokes braved the pain barrier again, Sundar pulled the England skipper for a six and a four off successive balls to reach fifty.
Sunday's closing stages became a question of whether either of India's fifth-wicket duo would go to a hundred after Gill declined to take a draw immediately at the start of the last hour when Sundar was 80 not out and Jadeja unbeaten on 89.
The match ended in farcical circumstances when batsman Harry Brook came on to bowl.
Jadeja smashed a woeful Brook delivery for six to complete a 182-ball century before Gill's two off the Yorkshireman took him to a 206-ball hundred -- the last act of the match.
"It got to that point where there was obviously only one result left on the table and I wasn't going to be risking any of my frontline bowlers, especially with a quick turnaround," said Stokes.
Sundar and Jadeja received some verbal abuse from England fielders for carrying on towards the three-figure landmark, with Stokes telling reporters: "That partnership was massive, they played incredibly well and I don't think there would have been too much more satisfaction at walking off 100 not out than 80 or 90."
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