England have "no regrets" over clashing with their India counterparts over the last two Tests, Ben Stokes insists ahead of this week's series finale at The Oval.
England appeared set to confirm a series victory in the fourth match at Old Trafford last week, as they scored 669 in their first innings before dropping India to 0-2 in their second.
However, the tourists brilliantly batted out much of day four and the entirety of day five to secure a draw, which ended their own hopes of a series win but kept them in with a chance of forcing a 2-2 tie.
Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar scored centuries on the final day of that match, getting over the line in a bad-tempered finish.
With England's hopes of taking the six wickets required in tatters, Stokes offered the draw to India at drinks, but visiting captain Shubman Gill refused so his batters could score their centuries.
That decision appeared to irk Stokes, who had opener Harry Brook bowl as he protected his bowlers in what amounted to 20 minutes of dead-rubber cricket.
England's behaviour drew criticism from some quarters. Asked what Australia would do better in that situation, spinner Nathan Lyon said: "Get them out. Don't let them get a hundred."
That followed a tetchy third Test at Lord's, where players from both teams celebrated crucial wickets by surrounding the dismissed batters.
Stokes, who will miss the fifth Test with a right shoulder injury, stands by his approach at Old Trafford.
"I don't have regrets, but it is one of those... when you have not been in the field for 250 overs, you do have a bit more of an understanding towards both sides," Stokes said.
"Two lads in Jadeja and Washington played incredibly well up until that point, so you understand why they wanted to stay out there and get their hundreds.
"As I said at the end of the game, fair enough, but I am not going to bowl my bowlers in a situation where we can't win the game.
"We are over it, I think India are over that whole thing. Let's just try our best not to focus on a 20-minute period of cricket when it has been such a great series so far."
England could claim their first series win over India since 2018 at The Oval, but regardless of the result, Stokes feels the matches have been a great advert for red-ball cricket.
"It has been a tough series, but it has been class to play in," Stokes said. "It has been a test of character, a test of physicality, all that stuff.
"I think the way each team has fronted up every single day and every single session, giving everything for their countries, is testament to how much this format means to England and India.
"You have seen both teams turn up every day, give everything and leave everything out on the field. I don't think it will be any different this week."
