IND VS ENG, 4th Test: Ben Stokes On Handshake Controversy – 'Draw Was Inevitable, Didn’t Want To Risk My Bowlers'

Ben Stokes, England’s captain, sought to clarify the dramatic ending of the Manchester Test against India, which sparked debate after his early handshake offer on Day 5.

With just 15 overs left in the match and the game heading for an inevitable draw, Stokes offered an early handshake to Indian batters Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. Both were in their 80s at that time and chose to continue batting in pursuit of their personal milestones.

“As soon as they got to a point where the draw was inevitable, I was not going to risk any of our bowlers,” Stokes explained during the post-match presentation. “I just wanted to get through the period without risking proper bowling options.”

The England skipper acknowledged the toll the series has taken on his own body and praised his teammates for their effort. “When you have a good game as an allrounder, you assess it by the result at the end of the game. I’d give this all back to get the result that we wanted. It’s been a tough five-six weeks on my body. I asked the guys to run through a brick wall for the team and tried to lead by example … it’s tough work,” Stokes said.

Addressing his own fitness concerns, Stokes revealed the strain from his workload. “[On his shoulder] It’s just the workload thing, got through a fair amount of overs, it starts creeping up on you. As I say to the bowlers, pain is only an emotion.”

Despite the controversy, Stokes credited India’s lower order for their resilience. “Heap load of credit for the way Washington and Jadeja played, got to give them a lot of credit. To do what they did for that position … We threw absolutely everything at them but they were able to absorb the pressure,” he said.

The handshake incident, however, did not sit well with the Indian camp. Sundar, who brought up his maiden Test century by taking a single off Harry Brook, and Jadeja both reached their personal milestones before play concluded. India captain Shubman Gill supported the decision to continue batting.

“We thought they (Jadeja and Sundar) batted brilliantly, they were in their 90s, we thought they deserved a century there,” Gill said, reflecting on why India did not comply with Stokes’ early handshake request.

The match concluded with both teams sharing the spoils, adding another intriguing chapter to an already intense series that has seen both sides “throw punches at each other,” as Stokes aptly put it.