India’s gritty draw in the fourth Test at Old Trafford sparked a heated exchange between the two teams and now, Sunil Gavaskar has added fuel to the fire with a scathing assessment of England’s tactics and attitude. The veteran India batter and commentator praised India’s resilience after they were reduced to 0/2 in the second innings, eventually finishing the final day with just four wickets lost thanks to centuries from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. “I’m enormously proud of this team for what they’ve done. Just four wickets down. Yes, whatever the pitch might have been — good pitch, flat pitch, whatever it is — to stick around there under pressure,” Gavaskar said on Sony Sports Network. The Indian batters’ decision to bat on even after the result was clear evidently irked England. Skipper Ben Stokes handed the ball to Harry Brook, who was hit for a six by Jadeja as he celebrated his hundred. When Brook offered a handshake to Sundar soon after, the batter appeared to ignore it.
England players were seen taunting the Indian duo, reportedly questioning whether Jadeja wanted to get to his hundred against Brook and Duckett. Gavaskar, however, turned the tables. He questioned England’s own tactics, especially their delayed declaration. “The question can be asked — did England bat too long before they declared?” Gavaskar said. “When India gave them 600-plus to chase in Birmingham, some England players said they were scared. But in India, they said ‘Give us 600, we’ll chase.’ So what happened now? India gave you 600, and you fell 336 short. That was just bravado. Just loud talk.” He also took a dig at Stokes’ post-match defence that he was resting his bowlers ahead of the final Test at The Oval.
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“So now, Shubman Gill — if he’s at the media conference — I’d like him to ask: Why did you take a lead of 311? Why not declare at 240 or 250 after Stokes got his hundred? Give your bowlers an extra hour to take wickets. I hope he asks that,” Gavaskar said. “I know he won’t. He’s too nice a guy. He’s not like this SG (Sunil Gavaskar). That SG (Shubman Gill) is different. But this SG 100% would have asked at a media conference. And I’m asking now.” Gavaskar’s fiery words only add to the charged atmosphere between the two sides and the pointed challenge to England’s approach ahead of the series decider.
