Sunil Gavaskar Blasts Ben Stokes And Co For 'Sarcastic' Act: "Not Being Mature..."

NDTV

6 days ago

The fourth India vs England Test was not away from controversy. A huge debatable moment occured when England captain Ben Stokes offered for a draw with 15 overs left in the Manchester Test but India declined it with Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar both batting in their eighties. The visitors waited for both the batters to smash their respective centuries before the match could be ended early. Since, England didn't want to bowl the final 15 overs, their players didn't acknowledge the achievements of Jadeja and Sundar when the players touched the three-figure mark.
The attitude of England players disappointed Gavaskar, who blasted the side.
"A majority of the England players not to be clapping when their hundreds were achieved doesn't really reflect well because they have to acknowledge the 80 plus that both of them scored. I know in modern day cricket, those kind of things are looked down upon as not being manly enough or not being mature enough to acknowledge another sportsperson's superiority. I can understand if Ben Stokes or Joe Root were little sarcastic about it but none of the others in this England team have scored enough hundreds to be sarcastic about the other batters looking to get their hundreds," said Gavaskar on Sony Sports.
Drama unfolded in the high-intensity Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy on Sunday after Indian batters Jadeja and Sundar refused England skipper Stokes' offer to call off the fourth Test and settle for a draw before the start of the final hour of play.
There is a provision that allows both captains to shake hands and agree to a draw if they feel that the possibility of a result is impossible.
Having worked hard to earn a creditable draw, Jadeja and Washington, flatly refused Stokes' offer after he had approached the umpire, which irked the England skipper no end.
With both approaching their hundreds after having saved the match for India who started their second innings 311 runs in arrears, Jadeja and Washington exercised their rights to continue batting.
India coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Shubman Gill backed the decision to carry on batting.