India spent a day with Manchester United’s squad before the fourth Test, yet displayed a collective defensive performance seldom seen at Old Trafford in recent times. However, they weren’t the only ones deviating from their pre-match plans.
Gilbert Enoka, the All Blacks’ advisor famous for their “no dickheads” policy, collaborated with England during training. Despite this, the team briefly resembled anything but, suggesting the adoption of such a policy is still a work in progress.
This incident has inevitably been dubbed handshake-gate. As the match approached its conclusion at 5:20 PM on day five, with a draw all but certain, Ben Stokes sought to expedite his players off the field after 143 overs yielding just four wickets. While shaking hands is a customary gesture at this point, match regulations allow an early finish if both captains, or the batters on the field, agree. His request was neither unreasonable nor unprecedented.
India, however, wanted to continue batting to enable two players to secure centuries they believed they deserved. Veteran Ravindra Jadeja was on 89, while Washington Sundar was at 80, chasing his first Test century. Achieving a century, although seemingly trivial, is significant for players, who often measure their careers by these milestones. Declining England’s offer allowed their fans more moments to celebrate, which was also reasonable.
As tedious as the final stages were bound to be for India, England had to maintain their focus. While Harry Brook’s attempts to speed things up with his bowling were acceptable, the sarcastic remarks from the team showed poor sportsmanship. Unlike their aggression at Lord’s, India’s similar approach demonstrated a contrasting demeanor; comments like “Embarrassing” and “Fucking hell, Washi, get on with it” reflected frustration at not securing an early exit.
There was some justification for these feelings. As Kevin Pietersen pointed out on social media, Stokes and his team were clearly fatigued, a state India seemed keen to exacerbate. This prolonged series has tested both teams intensely, leading to potential lapses in judgment. The grueling five-day matches over five weeks have taken a toll that lighter formats, such as The Hundred, are unlikely to replicate next month.
Ultimately, the tension that has surfaced during this series stems from the commitment expected by paying fans. Test cricket continues to draw significant television revenue in the UK, while Virat Kohli has remarked that winning the Indian Premier League is “five levels” below achieving success in Tests. While franchise cricket has its intense moments, it generally evokes less passionate responses from the public compared to Test matches.
In the end, England’s GIs misjudged those awkward final moments, and there may be some reticence in their camp. Nonetheless, Stokes will likely keep these feelings to himself. After matching Ian Botham’s 14 Test centuries, he embodies the tenacity to never look back. England’s 2-1 lead going into the fifth Test would be diminished without such resolve. That last day in Manchester underscored that England struggles without a fully operational Stokes, while India, even in transition, remains a force to reckon with.
