NEW DELHI: Drama and emotion collided in Manchester on Day 5 of the fourth Test as Ravichandran Ashwin came out strongly in support of Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar for choosing to bat on — and complete their centuries — after England skipper Ben Stokes offered to call it a draw with an hour to go.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!With India well and truly having saved the game after being 0/2 in the second innings, Jadeja (89*) and Sundar (80*) stood firm. But when Stokes approached the umpires and offered a handshake to end the match, the Indian pair refused — and stood their ground, quite literally.
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This irked the England captain, who sarcastically questioned whether they wanted to score hundreds against part-time bowler Harry Brook. Jadeja responded with his bat, dispatching Brook for a six to bring up his century.
Later, Ashwin — speaking on his YouTube channel — tore into the criticism directed at the Indian batters.“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 fumed.“You ask, ‘You want to make a hundred against Harry?’ Not Brook, brother. He has to make a hundred. Bring any bowler — they didn’t object. It was your call to bring Brook, not ours!” he added, defending the pair’s right to play on.Ashwin also laid bare what he believed was the motive behind the early handshake offer: “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.”
Ashwin argued that if he were captain, he would’ve played the full quota of overs.“These are Test runs. A century is earned, not gifted. Washington deserved it. Jadeja deserved it. Period.”India and England eventually shook hands after both batters got their milestones, with the series poised 2-1, in the hosts’ favour, heading into the Oval finale.
