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In the fourth Test between England and India, the visitors showed relentless determination to pull off an unlikely draw after being pushed to the brink at the start of fourth innings. With grit and discipline, they dragged the match deep into the final day. But just as the draw seemed on the doors, a dramatic move by England captain Ben Stokes sparked widespread fury among fans and pundits, igniting a heated post-match debate.
Ben Stokes breaks silence on Day 5 drama in Manchester Test
In the final session of Day 5, India’s centurions Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar reportedly turned down a declaration offer after England captain approached the umpires with the suggestion. Both batters were approaching personal milestones, and India were focused on saving the Test. The move by Stokes drew widespread criticism from fans and former players.
Addressing the incident in the post-match press conference, Stokes said that India had done all the hard work through the efforts of Jadeja and Washington, leaving only one possible result. With the match heading for a draw, he saw no point in pushing further and risking injuries to his main fast bowlers, especially with one Test still to play in the series.
“I think all the hard work was done by India. They both (Washi and Jadeja) played incredibly well and it got to that point where there was obviously only one result and there was absolutely no chance I was going to risk any of my big fast bowlers through injuries with one more game to go.” Stokes stated.
Stokes also addressed the possibility of changes to England’s bowling attack in the final Test
Meanwhile, Stokes also hinted at the possibility of fielding a different bowling attack for the fifth Test. He mentioned that even before the fourth Test began, there had been discussions about the physical demands on the bowling unit. With a short turnaround before the final match at The Oval, the team would need to use the coming days carefully and assess the condition of each player before making any decisions.
“Yeah, look, I think even before this test match we got into it, obviously there were those conversations around how much effort and energy has gone in, especially from the bowling department. Another quick turnaround before The Oval, so we’ll have to use these few days wisely and we’ll just have to check up on everyone and see how they’re going,” Stokes further said.
Also WATCH: Shubman Gill struck by Ben Stokes’ brutal delivery on Day 5 of Manchester Test
