'If I Were Indian Captain, I Would've...': Ashwin Blasts Ben Stokes For ‘Double Standards'
Jadeja and Sundar's resilience at Old Trafford frustrated England, leading Ben Stokes to offer a draw with 15 overs left. India refused, allowing both to reach their centuries.
The final day drama at Old Trafford keeps on garnering attention from the people of the cricket fraternity. The resilience shown by Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar had left the hosts frustrated so much that England captain Ben Stokes offered to shake hands with 15 overs remaining in the day. But the Indian batters denied leaving the field as both of them were nearing their respective hundreds.
Jadeja and Washington, batting on 89 and 80 respectively, refused the offer to leave the England captain frustrated. Stokes later said that he made the offer since he didn't want to risk injury to his fatigued frontline bowlers.
Stokes' gesture wasn't welcomed by several former cricketers. Ravichandran Ashwin called out England's 'double standards' in their attempt to prematurely end the fourth Test.
'Have you heard the term double standards? They played your bowlers all day, batted you out and suddenly, when they're nearing hundreds, you want to walk off? Why should they?," Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
'They have played all your bowlers since morning and taken it to a draw. They have worked hard, so you want them to leave their hundred?" the former off-spinner fumed.
India eventually called it a draw once both Jadeja and Washington brought up their centuries. It was Washington's maiden Test ton. Both Ashwin and legendary Sunil Gavaskar said they would have had India bat mandated 15 overs.
'If I were the Indian captain, I would have played the entire 15 overs," Ashwin said.
Ashwin said India were well within their rights to refuse to call it a draw with the two batters going for their milestone.
'There were two reasons: one, you didn't want to tire your bowlers. Fine. Second, you were frustrated and thought, 'If I'm not happy, you shouldn't be either'. That's not how cricket works," he added.
India are still trailing 1-2 in the series, but it's far from over. The visitors still stand a chance to fight and level the series with a victory in the final Test which begins on July 31 at The Oval in London.
(With Agency Inputs)
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First Published:
July 28, 2025, 15:27 IST
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