IND Vs ENG: England Frustrated As India Dig In To Draw Fourth Test

India dug in to deny England an early series victory by drawing the fourth Test, with Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja both hitting stubborn centuries on day five.

Victory always looked to be beyond India when England reached 669 all out in their first innings – the highest Test score at Old Trafford – before dropping their visitors to 0-2 on Saturday.

However, India rallied via captain Shubman Gill and KL Rahul, and their 188-run partnership only ended half an hour into Sunday's play, as Stokes pinned the latter for 90.

But Gill, having been dropped by Ollie Pope on 81, brought up his fifth century of the series, reaching 103 before his 24-hour knock was ended by a sloppy shot being claimed by Jamie Smith behind the stumps.

England almost had two wickets in as many balls as Joe Root dropped new batter Jadeja, and the hosts were made to regret that missed opportunity. 

Jadeja and Washington Sundar surpassed Rahul's earlier partnership with Gill, combining for 203 runs as England failed to take a single wicket after lunch.

England's hopes of victory had all but vanished by tea, while the sight of Ben Stokes struggling to bowl, having already bowled a personal record of 129 overs throughout the series before Sunday, gave them another concern.

Stokes was ready to call an end to proceedings but Jadeja and Washington were both determined to bring up their centuries, and they ultimately finished unbeaten on 101 and 107 respectively.

While India's hopes of winning the series are now over ahead of the fifth Test at Lord's, they could yet force a 2-2 draw and extend England's seven-year wait for a victory in a red-ball series between the teams.

Data Debrief: Gill, Washington dig India out

After losing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsen in the first over of their chase, India only lost two further wickets in 142 overs across five sessions, with Gill (238), KL Rahul (230), Washington (206) and Jadeja (185) all facing at least 185 deliveries apiece. 

The day ended with Washington coming back for two to seal his maiden Test century, much to the annoyance of England captain Stokes. Washington's ton was the 11th for India in this series – the most scored by any visiting team in a Test series in England, with another match still to come.

But it was Gill and Rahul who provided the platform across Saturday and Sunday, and the former has now hit 722 runs in this series.

Ahead of the fifth Test, he is just 53 runs away from breaking the all-time record by an India batsman and captain in a single red-ball series, with Sunil Gavaskar hitting 774 against West Indies in 1971, and 732 against the same opponents in 1978-79.

It is just the second time England have drawn a Test in the Brendon McCullum era, with the other instance also coming at Old Trafford, against Australia in the 2023 Ashes.