"Didn't have a problem with it" - Former England captain backs Jadeja and Sundar over refusing Stokes' handshake amid bizarre end to Manchester Test

Former England captain Nasser Hussain said that he didn't have a problem with Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar refusing Ben Stokes' offer for a draw to get their individual hundreds in the Manchester Test. Hussain opined that the Indian duo had worked hard and deserved their respective centuries.

India stayed alive in the five-match series against England by managing to draw the Manchester Test. Resuming Day 5 on Sunday, July 27 at 174-2, they lost only two wickets in the entire day's play, with skipper Shubman Gill (103), Washington Sundar (101*) and Ravindra Jadeja (107*) all getting hundreds.

The Test ended in a bizarre fashion. After the end of 138 overs, with India's score at 386-4, Stokes wanted to end the game. Jadeja and Sundar, however, refused the offer as they were batting on 89 and 80 respectively and were keen to get to three figures. England were thus forced to carry on playing, with Stokes bowling part-timers Harry Brook and Joe Root.

In a disappointing end to the game, Stokes and Jadeja were seen having a heated exchange after the draw was confirmed. Sharing his thoughts on Indian batters' decision to play on despite Stokes offering a handshake to end the game, former England captain Hussain told Sky Sports:

"I didn't have a problem with it. England seemed to have a problem with it. They were a little bit tired - tired bowlers, tired legs. They wanted to get off. The two lads have worked hard to get into the 80s and 90s. They wanted Test match hundreds. Stokes didn't have to bowl Brook and it looked a bit silly at the end. But, we make far too much of these things. "They played well. They deserved a draw, they deserved to be there at the end. All credit to India. It's only England's second ever draw under the Bazball regime. The other one [came] on this ground as well because of rain. This one a draw simply because England couldn't roll over [India] and those two left-handers were brilliant," the 57-year-old went on to add.

After Gill was dismissed by Jofra Archer for 103 on Day 5 in Manchester, Jadeja and Sundar added an unbroken 203 runs for the fifth wicket to ensure a hard-fought draw for the visitors.

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"They deserved a century there" - Gill on Jadeja and Sundar refusing Stokes' handshake

Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Indian captain Gill also backed Jadeja and Sundar's decision to bat on in Manchester despite Stokes' offer to end the game. He commented (via Cricbuzz):

"We thought they (Jadeja and Sundar) batted brilliantly. They were in their 90s, we thought they deserved a century there."

Despite the draw in Manchester, England are 2-1 up in the five-match series. India will need to win at The Oval to draw the series.

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Edited by Renin Wilben Albert