New Delhi: The final day of the Manchester Test saw its share of drama and emotions as Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar refused to end the match just before the hour mark as Ben Stokes tried to shake hands. Former Indian player Ravichandran Ashwin came out strongly in support of Jadeja and Sundar for choosing to keep batting and complete their centuries when the England skipper offered a draw with 15 overs remaining.
While India managed to see the match and took it to the draw from 0/2 in the second innings, KL Rahul and Shubman Gill took the charge and built a strong partnership to bring India back in the game. It was Jadeja and Sundar who kept that going in the second half of the day as their wickets fell to ensure the match got a draw.
However, India’s decision to continue batting didn’t go well with the England players as they passed nasty remarks towards the duo. Even Jadeja sledged Jadeja saying, “Do you want to score a hundred against Harry Brook?” but Jadeja stayed calm and said, “I can’t do anything.”
Stokes’ remark has received a lot of criticism and now Indian all-rounder Ashwin took a dig over Stokes and accused him of double standards.
Ashwin slams Stokes remark
The star all-rounder on his YouTube Channel ‘Ash Ki Baat’ said, “Double standards are these. You are frustrated. You can fight with your players, you can punch the ball. Do whatever. But by shaking hands, you are saying ‘I am frustrated, you also do not make a 100. You also go crying. ‘How can it be like this? You are saying, ‘I am unhappy. You also don’t be happy. He has worked since morning. He has played Archer. Matthew Hogard, Darren Gough. Andrew Flintoff. All bowlers you bowled, he played. Should he leave a century?”
ashwin cooking these hypocrites my absolute fav genre. i knew he’d be cooking all these stokes, brooks and crawleys and he never disappoints😅 pic.twitter.com/PnabOLx8R8
— Sneहाहाहा (@__Sn_e_ha__) July 28, 2025
Ashwin even slammed him for his question to Jadeja saying, No. He wants to make a 100. Bring Andrew Flintoff, we did not say no. You are bowling Harry Brook. That is your mistake not ours. I want to ask Zak Crawley, what is your role?.”
Ashwin even said that if he would have been at Gill’s place then he would have played the full quota of overs. He said, “These are Test runs. A century is earned, not gifted. Washington deserved it. Jadeja deserved it. Period.”
India and England eventually after Jadeja and Sundar ton shook hands with England leading the series by 2-1 as they head into the Oval final.