The fourth Test between India and England at Old Trafford had a disappointing end from a cricket fan point of view. That’s because India agreed to shake hands and walk off, with about 45 minutes of play still remaining. Both Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar had got to splendid rearguard centuries, England were being run ragged, and what they wanted to do most of all was rest aching limbs. What India should have done was bat on remorselessly, till the official close of play.

From a strategic point of view, it made the most sense. The gap between the fourth Test and the fifth Test is the shortest one, just three days. India should have been looking to tire and grind down England to the maximum extent they could. To make it as difficult as possible for them to be at peak fitness and form heading into the decider.

However, right after Washington reached his maiden Test century, India graciously opted to accept England’s offer of a draw. Minutes earlier, Jadeja had also got to a century. Their partnership had lasted two sessions and realised 203 unbroken runs, taking India to safety. It was still the kind of draw where India were the happier team. One over into their second innings, they had lost two batters, were trailing by 311 runs, and had another major batter with a fractured foot. They were, effectively, almost three wickets down with a massive deficit. To bat out 143 overs from there, losing just two wickets on Day 4 and Day 5 of a Test match took something special.

It should have been an occasion for celebration, but was tainted by England’s entitled attitude.

‘Stoke’ing the fire

Before the last hour of play began on Day 5, Ben Stokes went up to the batters with the offer to shake hands for a drawn Test. Jadeja was on 89, and Washington on 80. Both had battled hard, concentrated fiercely, and reaped the rewards. They were completely within their rights to decline Stokes’ offer and opt to bat on.

However, that didn’t sit well with Stokes, and the England team. It had been a long two days in the field for them, and a Test they thought they’d win and seal the series had slipped away. They wanted to be done with it. That was understandable. But it still didn’t give them the right to demand India do things in that fashion. England behaved as if the draw was a decree. It was not, it was an offer. And offers can be rejected.

It also had the whiff of manufactured outrage. Did anyone in the England camp seriously think that India would agree to walk off when two batters were so close to well-deserved milestones? It was Washington’s first Test century after having come close earlier. And it’s not as if Jadeja regularly gets to celebrate a Test ton, given the numbers he bats at. 

And crucially, India had absolutely nothing to lose by letting both batters take their time to reach their landmarks. There was no pressure of time or declaration. Jadeja and Washington didn’t have to choose between personal and team goals: on this occasion both were perfectly aligned.

And, it made tactical sense to keep England on the field for as long as possible.

Would England have done what they wanted India to do?

The question was put to Stokes at the post-match press conference: if he had a young batter on the verge of a maiden Test century, would he have pulled the plug on the innings?

Stokes’ non-answer was an answer in itself. “The knocks that those two played were very, very good. The situation that India found themselves in there with us, that partnership was massive. They played incredibly, incredibly well… I don’t think there would have been too much more satisfaction from walking off 100 not out than getting your team out of a tricky situation and walking off 80 or 90 not out. That’s what you’ve done for your team. Ten more runs, or whatever it was, ain’t going to change the fact that you’ve managed to get your team out of a very, very tricky situation, and almost saved your team from a series defeat before the last game,” he offered.

It was the response of a veteran, media savvy cricketer. Without answering the question, he turned it into an ‘personal milestones against team goals’ talking point.

But Jadeja and Washington had nothing to lose by going for their hundreds. In fact, as already emphasised, they had everything to gain by keeping England on the field as long as possible. Individual glory and team pursuit were in perfect sync.

England’s tantrum about it had no standing. It was like a batting team throwing a fit about an opposition bowler getting seam movement instead of bowling half-volleys. In the event, the home side should consider themselves lucky that India didn’t bat on after Jadeja and Washington got their centuries. They would have been perfectly within their rights and the game’s laws to do it, and it would have pushed their advantage further.