28-07-2025
India's Manchester Test rescue act has rattled England in more ways than one
A fascinating series in which both teams have refused to concede an inch witnessed one of the finest rescue acts in recent times as India displayed extraordinary determination to bat out five sessions and draw the fourth Test in Manchester after being 0-2 and trailing by 311 runs.
That India managed to save the Test is a remarkable achievement as they played most of it with 10 batters after Rishabh Pant broke his foot during the match.
England would have anticipated a quick finish to the match when India lost wickets off successive balls without a run on the board on Saturday. But their batters were not going to give up, no matter how dire the situation.
The fight shown by the lower order in the heartbreaking Lord's Test defeat galvanised the frontline batters in the hour of need at Old Trafford. India batted 143 overs on days four and five to save the match and keep the series alive heading into the last Test at The Oval.
KL Rahul (90) and captain Shubman Gill (103) bore the brunt of the early England storm, facing more than 200 deliveries each to take the sting out of the home team's attack.
Then, all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar guarded the gates until the final hour of the match, thwarting every attack with the composure and technique of top tier Test batters.
The pitch had more than enough spite to keep the batters in check. The ball that got Rahul lbw stayed low by a foot, while Gill was hit on the body by deliveries that spat at him.
The spinners also had enough rough to work with; both Liam Dawson and Joe Root got the ball to spin sharply and stay low. But Jadeja and Sundar did not give up.
As the final hour of the Test began, and with both Sundar and Jadeja approaching thoroughly deserved centuries, England captain Ben Stokes offered an early draw.
Both batters refused and batted for an additional five overs to reach their centuries. A perfect reward for an incredibly hard day at the office.
But England and Stokes did not see it that way. Stokes was miffed at India's refusal to accept a draw when he offered it. Then, as some sort of protest, he got Harry Brook to bowl who dished out club-level deliveries.
It was a draining day and by the end of it, England were rattled.
Stokes and his England teammates had a go at the Indian all-rounders for wanting to score a century. After the match, Stokes extolled the virtues of a well-earned 80 not out instead of a century.
'I don't think there would have been much more satisfaction in walking off 100 not out, getting your team off in a tricky situation, than walking off at 80 or 90 not out,' the England captain said.
Stokes lecturing the opposition batters - one of whom was aiming for his maiden Test ton - about how they should feel about their accomplishments and milestones was incredulous to watch.
India were well within their rights to not only chase milestones but also keep England bowlers on the field for as long as possible, since the fifth Test begins in just three days and extra miles in the legs of the bowlers would mean advantage India.
Just like England's openers were well within their rights to delay taking strike in the Lord's Test and use time wasting tactics.
But England's reaction and antics at the end showed a palpable frustration had snuck into a team that was within touching distance of a 3-1 series lead in Manchester.
England had their moments earlier in the innings, none more so than when Jadeja was dropped by Joe Root at slip first ball. But the match somehow slipped past them.
Stokes had pushed his body to breaking point, nursing a hurt hamstring and shoulder to get the team over the finish line, and then possibly take a well-deserved break; England's bowlers were running on fumes after being on the field for 250 overs. All of which possibly contributed to England throwing a hissy fit at the end.
India, meanwhile, go in the final Test knowing they have one of their most in-form batting line-ups in recent memory which also fights right until the end.
They also know England's main fast bowlers have run out of gas after playing successive Tests and the home team will now have to rely on second or third choice bowlers.
India too will have to manage without Jasprit Bumrah and or Mohammad Siraj. But they have been doing so almost the entire tour. All they need now is to get four fully fit bowlers, including wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, and then see who is standing at the end of it all.
All four Tests have gone deep into the fifth day and the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy has become a Test of endurance. England looked ragged by the end of the penultimate bout. If India somehow manage to select the best playing XI, which they have failed to do in four Tests, the series can still end in a 2-2 draw. And that, in many ways, would be the perfect result for two teams who may have their flaws but have not given up at any stage across 20 days of absorbing cricket.
