IND vs ENG, 4th Test Match, Day 5: Stokes Stars, But Jadeja, Sundar Hold Firm

Published in the aftermath of play, #PostMatchMemo breaks down the action to unpack key moments, standout performances and the bigger picture behind the final score, from the final day of the 4th IND vs ENG Test at Old Trafford.

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INDIA’s decision not to accept England’s offer to call the Old Trafford Test a draw (with just over an hour’s cricket left in the day) is likely to garner as many headlines as Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar’s gritty rearguard action to save the match. In a series that has seen petulance and stroppy behaviour play out in a variety of different ways, Sunday’s events really took the cake. England skipper Ben Stokes was well within his rights to offer to end the match with any other result looking quite impossible.

Importantly, the Indian batters (particularly Sundar on the cusp of a maiden Test ton) were equally within their rights to refuse the offer until they had reached a century each. That the English fielders bristled and complained incessantly at this apparent display of impudence by the opposition batters did take some of the sheen off the hosts’ solid performance in the Test. Not to mention how bratty and petty it made them seem. Regardless, the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy remains theirs despite the outcome of the final Test at the Oval.

But it could all have been so different. India trailed England by 311 runs after both sides had completed their respective first innings. And before the end of the first over of the visitor’s second innings, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan were back in the pavilion without troubling the scorers. Also, considering that Rishabh Pant would show up on crutches and in a compression boot, India really only had seven more wickets in hand at that stage.

Shubman Gill was given a couple of chances midway through his innings and Jadeja was dropped on zero, and the home team appeared to be relinquishing their advantage. And at some point, shoulders began to drop, the incisive Stokes was forced to drop out of the attack and India’s batters began to grow into the game. Ending on 425/4 after being reduced to 0/2 underscored the grit and composure of this Indian cricket team. Interestingly, rain played no role in this Test despite the forecast suggesting that four of the five days would be affected.

With the fifth and final Test looming over us (starting on July 31), here’s a look at five key talking points from Old Trafford. 

Stokes shows the way again: With a five-wicket haul in the visitors’ first innings, a dominant 141 in the hosts’ first innings and KL Rahul early on the fifth day, the England skipper followed up his Lord’s performance with another masterclass in ‘leading from the front’ at Old Trafford. But it isn’t only with the bat or ball that the 34-year-old has been shining lately. His captaincy has been aggressive, pragmatic, imaginative, shrewd and risk-seeking as and when required. And while this approach — backed by his team’s performances — sees him retain the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, it also augurs extremely well for England’s Ashes campaign that kicks off in November.

Jurel makes himself at home: After Rishabh Pant’s hand injury in the third Test, Dhruv Jurel filled in for him behind the wickets. His performance wasn’t too bad, but far from convincing. In the fourth Test, he was summoned to fill in for Pant once more after the first-choice stumper copped a foot injury. This time around, Jurel was far tidier with the gloves, highlighted by his stumpings of Joe Root and Harry Brook, and a neat diving catch off Jamie Smith. Depending on the extent of Pant’s injury, Jurel could feasibly be the Indian first-choice wicketkeeper for the upcoming Test series against West Indies and South Africa. Whether or not he dislodges Pant in the long run is a whole different story.

Root’s quiet accumulation: Sitting alongside such names as Sachin Tendulkar, Jacques Kallis, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara and Kumar Sangakkara on the list of top Test scorers, Joe Root feels like a bit of a misfit. Neither is he particularly flamboyant, nor particularly explosive when compared to those other luminaries, however one thing that cannot be denied is his effectiveness. Without necessarily baring his entire repertoire of strokes (even though he probably has them in the locker), he quietly goes about his business accumulating runs and often assembling big scores. Twenty-one centuries since the start of 2021 is testament to that. At the age of 34 years, Root has enough time to score the 2,512 runs that will take him past Tendulkar’s career tally. Just how many runs he will put between himself and the Little Master is what remains to be seen.

Turns out Bumrah is human: Thirty-three overs bowled, five maidens, two wickets taken and 112 runs conceded doesn’t make for especially poor reading as far as bowling figures go. Moreso when the batting team has amassed 669 runs. However, considering these were Jasprit Bumrah’s stats in the England innings, they seem rather more perturbing. This, after all, is India’s near-superhuman, talismanic pacer, and he’s not used to looking so toothless with the ball. It had been widely reported that Bumrah was planning to only play three of the five Tests to manage his workload. But on the third and fourth days of the Test, he appeared completely spent and bereft of ideas. It’s still too early to know whether or not he will be playing the final Test at The Oval, but Bumrah appears to be in need of a battery recharge.

Back to the drawing board?: Plenty of questions will be asked about the Indian team’s selection policy this series and especially in the Manchester Test. It would be no exaggeration to suggest that Anshul Kamboj was little more than a passenger in this match. While Sundar justified his selection with his strong performances whenever he was given an opportunity, the complete absence of Kuldeep Yadav and the disappearance of Prasidh Krishna raises some eyebrows. Coupled with Sunil Gavaskar, among the most prominent voices, questioning coach Gautam Gambhir’s selection policies, it’s clear that choppy waters lie ahead. A collection of strong performances at The Oval would go some way in calming those waters somewhat.

Karan Pradhan is editor-in-chief of Story Mode, a gaming and gaming-adjacent magazine. Follow him on X/Twitter @karanpradhan_