Geoffrey Boycott Praises Indian Stars Jadeja and Sundar for Their Grit in Fourth Test
Boycott's Support for Indian Batters
London: Legendary cricketer Geoffrey Boycott has expressed his admiration for Indian batsmen Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, commending their decision to continue batting late in the final day of the drawn fourth Test. He believes they truly earned their centuries after putting in tremendous effort.
On Sunday, as the match approached its conclusion, Jadeja and Sundar, who were at 89 and 80 runs respectively, rejected an offer from England's captain Ben Stokes to settle for a draw before the last hour began.
As the game seemed to drift towards a stalemate, Stokes approached the umpires to initiate the handshake protocol. However, Jadeja and Sundar chose to persist, having fought hard to recover India from a daunting 311-run deficit in the first innings.
In his column for a British daily, Boycott remarked, "What goes around comes around. England were quite vocal when it suited them, so it’s understandable that India wanted to let two batsmen, who had worked diligently, reach their hundreds."
He added, "If you dish it out, like England does, you must be prepared to take it. I could hear them through the stump mics taunting India, so why should they be agreeable and leave when England had had enough?"
Jadeja and Sundar managed to bat for over two sessions, forming an unbeaten 203-run partnership for the fifth wicket, which ultimately led to a draw.
Boycott praised the resilience of the Indian players, stating, "These players are tough. I wouldn’t have allowed anyone to pull me off at 89 after working hard to save the game for my team."
He emphasized that both Jadeja and Sundar deserved their centuries, highlighting their excellent shot selection and defensive techniques.
The former England captain also criticized the current players for their excessive sledging, noting, "I’m not sure what’s going on with modern players. You hear a lot of them talking back. It wasn’t like that during my playing days. This will continue at the Oval, and India will go there feeling they secured a win at Old Trafford."
Boycott also pointed out the shortcomings of England's bowling attack, which failed to dismiss India on a fifth-day pitch after scoring 669 in the first innings.
He stated, "You learn more from failure than from success. We failed to bowl India out, and this draw exposed our bowling weaknesses. When your best bowler in both innings is the captain, who is primarily a batsman, something is amiss."
While acknowledging Stokes' efforts with the ball, Boycott warned against overworking the all-rounder, saying, "Ben Stokes put in a tremendous effort, but apart from Jofra Archer at times, the others were ineffective."
He added, "Every time Stokes bowls, he creates opportunities. It’s a natural talent. However, if England continues to rely on him, they are in trouble as a bowling unit. He is 34 and needs to manage his fitness. It’s better for him to bowl less and stay fit than to overexert and risk injury."
Currently, England leads the five-match series 2–1, with the fifth and final Test set to commence on Thursday at The Oval.