Gill, Jadeja and Washington score centuries as India force a draw in Manchester

@Washigton Sundar greets the crowd after completing his  Maiden Test century vs England at manchester 2025

 England v India, 4th Test Day 5: Stalemate after gritty Resistance:

Morning Session: India in Crisis, Gill and Rahul Dig In

India started Day 5 with the barrel looking straight at them, having been set a 312-run target, they lost both openers (Jaiswal and Sudharsan) in the very first over to Chris Woakes, as they fell to 0-2. The premature failure put India on its knees and England on the scent of a series-sealing victory Captain Shubman Gill, though, had three Test hundreds in the series already, and he kept his cool.Along with KL Rahul, the two started a critical rescue mission. Gill was able to accumulate his fourth century of the series-ferrying India back with technical determination in 228 balls. Rahul was a good second and he hit 90 and then left

England did all they could: disciplined bowling with seam, savage field setting and   pressure all the time. But India weathered to lunch, on a turning and almost   defendable wicket on Day 5.

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Afternoon: England Fail to Break Through

England continued to bowl new-ball spells with Jofra Archer and Liam Dawson after lunch and tried to get any movement with the seam. Stokes also started to bowl after manifesting pain in his shoulders. Yet there were few breaks-the lower order in India stood firm. Gill tried to speed up and fell eventually, but the harm was already done India had two recognisable batters left, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington   Sundar. The all-rounders got stuck in and battled against both England seamers   and part-timers and started to make attacking dents in the target, eating into the     England lead.

Evening Session: Jadeja-Sundar Masterclass

Then followed one of the greatest rearguard actions in recent Test Cricket. Both Jadeja and Sundar scored more than 200 runs together without any single run out in that second innings alone, where they both batted together virtually more than 143 overs.They led India out of 137 behind to 425 in 4, guzzling session after session, and thwarted any unrealistic expectations of an England victory Ravindra Jadeja was unbeaten on 107 and Washington Sundar scored his maiden Test century, being unbeaten on 101. Both were to say afterwards that they had witnessed enough to get their own personal milestones-and they turned down an England offer of a handshake of courtesy until they had reached the three-figure mark

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The Controversy: The Handshake refused by Stokes 

Having 15 overs remaining, England captain Ben Stokes, who was tired and injured, held out his hand to shake hands with Jadeja and Sundar as he signaled a draw. India refused--the two batters, who had got close to their centuries, decided to stay. The object of the refusal, and when in the hot glare of a live Test match, caused the subject of sporting spirit to be debated with English players evidently frustrated

India head coach Gautam Gambhir justified the move claiming that the batsmen were entitled to do so and deserved credit. The opinion of many analysts echoed that India was simply outplayed in the previous games, and this was all out grit as opposed to gamesmanship

England's Heroics: All Round brilliance of Stokes

Stokes was Player of the Match despite the draw. He played in a sensational way; 141 with bat and 6 wickets with the ball.The burden he bore was tremendous-- bowling more than 140 overs through the series--a measure of the cost of the over-dependence of England on his all-round ability

He was lamenting the missed opportunities, the lost opportunities to see India all-out, the frustration of not being able to do it, being physically aching and sore, and the work to bowl had missed opportunities, including Joe Root, dropping catches. However, he promised to be ready to play in the fifth and last Test at The Oval, saying he was very unlikely to be left out due to the current physical discomfort

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Series Standing Final Test Preview

The epic draw leaves England still hold a 2-1 lead in the five-Test                               Anderson Tendulkar Trophy, and with the series to be concluded in the one final   game at The Oval, starting early August 2025 England have included Jamie Overton in their squad to face the decider, as a back up to pace along with Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue, again there may be changes in both form and fitness factors The match has shifted to London: India are bringing the momentum and an increasing confidence; they have centuries by Jadeja and Sundar, and leadership by Gill in the series. The series is not yet out of England control, and the game will probably be won by the vigilance of the spin and the endurance of the teams.

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Key Moments in Summary:

Moment                                          Impact

early India Collapse to 0/2           Left India to deep trouble

Gill and Rahul rescue,                 added stability allow Jadeja & Sundar to bat out

Jadeja Sundar Duo                     denied England victory, force the drew 

Handshake rejection                   Controversial sportsmanship

Stokes' all-round effort                Explained the fact that he was a hero even in the

                                                    pain; England depended on him

Series tied 2-1 to England heading to last Test     It sets up a match of high stakes                                                                                                      at The Oval

Player Highlights:

• Shubman Gill: recorded his fourth test century in the series, leading India in the revival of its innings.

• KL Rahul: He was a vital sidekick in the 90 run-innings, stabilizing the boat.

• Ravindra Jadeja: 107 not out under immense pressure; turned the tables around as a vital partner in the Test.

• Washington Sundar: First Test century (101*); the spirit of stubborn defense and concentration summed up.

• Ben Stokes: 141 & 6 wickets; England most reliable player, even when physically fatigued, and England failed to overcome in the end.

The Legacy of the Drama, What Lies Ahead:

This was not one more draw it was the turning point of Indian temperament. Down and out they fought back with courage and discipline and intent. The fact that the lower order of Indian team stood up to the challenge and did not bowl England out speaks volumes of increased depth of the team and character. In the case of England, after winning much of the Test, they failed to seal the deal, and the fact their refusal to shake hands was very controversial, has called into question the composure and spirit of the team. The fatigue and potential aggravation of injury on the part of Stokes would also hover over the final choices to be made in the decider. The outcome on Sunday only leaves everything to play in the second test at The Oval where India can still draw the series and England can bring out a proud home victory. Fitness tests and strategic dilemmas await both sides now: England hoping to find new ways of breaking through through rotation and rest, India hoping to find the momentum and self-belief they have rediscovered in Manchester.

Final Thoughts:

The fourth Test at Old Trafford will be forever written in the history books due to   the record-breaking unbeaten partnership by Jadeja and Sundar, the   outstanding Captaincy of Gill, and the almost unnoticed pressure on Ben Stokes. It leaves the cricket enthusiasts with the best kind of drama, debate and increased excitement about what may turn out to be a thrilling final of the series at the Oval.

Brief Scores: India 358 (Sai Sudharsan 61, Yashasvi Jaiswal 58; Ben Stokes 5-72)

 and 425/4 (Ravindra Jadeja 107*, Shubman Gill 103, Washington Sundar 101*;

 Chris Woakes 2-77) draw with England 669 (Joe Root 150, Ben Stokes 141;

 Ravindra Jadeja 4-143).