Ben Stokes Reflects on Draw with India in Manchester Test

Stokes Discusses Final Moments of the Manchester Test

After the conclusion of the Manchester Test against India, England's Test captain Ben Stokes shared insights about a conversation he had with Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja during the final moments of the match, part of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 held at Old Trafford.

With just 15 overs remaining on Day 5, Stokes, along with teammates Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, approached Jadeja to suggest shaking hands and concluding the match. However, Jadeja declined, as he and his batting partner Washington Sundar were both on the verge of reaching their centuries.

During the post-match press conference, Stokes explained, “We pushed our frontline bowlers as far as we could, believing we had a chance to win. But once it became clear that a draw was inevitable, I decided not to risk my main bowlers given the short turnaround and the workload we faced this week and throughout the series. So, when we reached the last hour, it was always going to end with a handshake.”

He added, “The only bowler who had any significant workload was Harry Brook, and I had to remind him, ‘Please don’t do anything reckless.’ We had spent a lot of time in the field, and I didn’t want him to get injured. Even without bowling, fatigue sets in, so I just wanted us to get through that period safely. I wasn’t going to jeopardize my key bowling options in that situation.”

Reflecting on the match, India managed to secure a draw thanks to impressive centuries from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar in their second innings. They batted for over five sessions, finishing Day 5 at 425/4, with Jadeja scoring 107* and Sundar 101*, forming a crucial partnership of 203 runs for the fifth wicket.

Ben Stokes was named player of the match for his outstanding five-wicket haul and a century in the first innings, marking his second consecutive Player of the Match award in this series.