Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar declined an early handshake to chase centuries as India forced a draw; their fightback and the handshake drama stole the spotlight.
India’s Gritty Fightback Overshadowed by No-Handshake Drama
After crushing defeats at Headingley and Lord’s left India staring at a potential series loss, their batters produced a remarkable turnaround in Manchester to keep the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy alive. Facing a massive deficit and immense pressure, India batted through five sessions in the second innings to deny England a victory. But instead of the focus being on their heroic resilience, the post-match spotlight shifted to the controversial no-handshake incident.
The fightback was anchored by a crucial third-wicket stand between KL Rahul and skipper Shubman Gill, the latter scoring a gritty century. Their efforts were followed by a defiant, match-saving partnership between Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, who held the fort and rescued India from the brink of defeat.
However, on Sunday evening during the 139th over, drama unfolded. With India at 386 for 4 and both batters closing in on centuries—Jadeja on 89 and Sundar on 80—Ben Stokes approached them with an offer to shake hands and call the match a draw. The Indian pair declined, prioritizing their personal milestones. While Shubman Gill watched from the dressing room, the moment ignited tension, as Stokes was unwilling to burden his already exhausted bowlers further. The rejection sparked a heated exchange and shifted the narrative from India’s fightback to a polarizing debate about sportsmanship and individual ambition.
Jadeja and Sundar’s Defiance Turns the Tide in Tense Test Finale
A match-saving third-wicket partnership between KL Rahul and captain Shubman Gill—who scored a determined century—set the foundation for India’s remarkable recovery. The effort was further bolstered by composed innings from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, allowing India to claw back from the edge of defeat and secure a hard-fought draw.
On Sunday evening, as the 139th over began, England skipper Ben Stokes walked up to Jadeja and Sundar to offer a handshake, signaling his willingness to settle for a draw. But with the pair unbeaten on 89 and 80 respectively, they declined, focused instead on reaching their individual centuries. Shubman Gill watched silently from the dressing room as tension flared on the field.
Stokes, conscious of not overworking his bowlers, expected a resolution, but the Indian duo held firm. One over later, Jadeja smashed a six down the ground to reach his fifth Test hundred. Mistaking it as the cue to end the innings, Harry Brook approached Sundar for a handshake—but was rebuffed. Sundar instead rushed to celebrate with Jadeja, as the Indian dressing room erupted in joy, marking a symbolic victory in a drawn battle.
Moment of the match. 🤣
— Selfless⁴⁵ (@SelflessCricket) July 27, 2025
Ravindra Jadeja scored 100 and Harry Brook intentionally came forward to call off the match. But Washington Sundar totally ignored him.
Brook reaction after that. 😂pic.twitter.com/LROE0oXw33
It took India two more overs before Washington Sundar completed his maiden Test century, after which both teams finally shook hands, officially sealing a gripping draw in Manchester.
Earlier in the match, India had a disastrous start to their second innings. Chris Woakes struck twice in consecutive deliveries before lunch on Saturday, removing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan to leave India reeling at 0/2. With the series seemingly within their grasp, England sensed a golden opportunity to seal the contest.
But Shubman Gill and KL Rahul mounted a remarkable resistance, stitching together a 188-run partnership for the third wicket. The duo navigated the rest of Day 4 without further damage and continued their resilience deep into Sunday morning. Though England clawed back with another burst of quick wickets, any hopes of victory were extinguished by the composed and unflinching stand between Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar.
Their heroics not only rescued India from certain defeat but also set the stage for an epic series finale at The Oval, starting July 31, with England still holding a narrow 2-1 lead.