"If you give it, you have to be able to take it" - Batting legend lashes out at England over 'handshake' controversy in ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test

Former England opener Sir Geoffrey Boycott sent a clear message to Ben Stokes over the 'handshake' controversy on Day 5 of the fourth Test against India in Manchester. He opined that England had no right to blame India for wanting to continue to bat when they themselves opted to do so when being in a good position.

The saga erupted on Day 5 after the 137th over of the innings. Ben Stokes walked up to Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar when both were nearing their centuries, offering them a handshake to take the draw. With the pair choosing to keep batting, Stokes and Co. were unhappy as a confrontation took place. Instead, Jadeja and Sundar decided to walk off only after hitting their tons.

In his column for The Telegraph, the 84-year-old reminded that both Sundar and Jadeja deserved their hundreds, given they worked their socks off. He wrote:

"What goes around comes around. England were gobby enough when it suited them so you can’t blame India for wanting to stay on and allow two batsmen who had worked their socks off to reach their hundreds. If you give it, like England do, then you have to be able to take it."

He continued that India were not going to bend despite the hosts' chirping, adding:

"I could hear them through the stump mics chipping away at India so why should they be nice to them and agree to go off when England have had enough? These India players are tough cookies. They do not take a backward step."

Boycott went on to claim that he wouldn't have gone off the field either without completing his century, writing:

"There is no way I would have let anyone drag me off on 89 after I had worked hard all day to save the game for my team. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar rightly deserved their hundreds. They left the ball well, played with the full face of the bat and defended their wickets at all costs. Well done."

He continued further:

"I’m not sure what it is with modern players. You hear a lot of them mouthing off. It never really happened when I was playing. It will carry on at the Oval and India will go there thinking they got a win at Old Trafford."

Jadeja (107*) and Sundar (101*) stitched an unbroken 203-run stand to bat India to a draw and keep the series alive. Jadedja was notably dropped first ball by Joe Root at slip, and the all-rounder made England pay.

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"Your best bowler in both innings is the England captain" - Sir Geoffrey Boycott raises concerns

Sir Geoffrey Boycott. (Image Credits: Getty)

The 108-Test veteran felt the draw brutally exposed the home side's bowling weaknesses and warned that Stokes can only do so much, especially due to his fragile body. He wrote:

"You learn more from failure than you do from success. And we failed to bowl India out. The draw highlighted the deficiencies in our bowling. If you think about it, when your best bowler in both innings is the England captain, who is a batsman-bowler, something is not right."

Boycott also highlighted the importance of managing Jofra Archer well, especially with the Ashes looming.

"Every time Stokes bowls he makes something happen. It’s a gift. You are born with it, you can’t teach it. It is wonderful. But if they are going to rely on him all the time, then as a bowling unit England are in trouble. He is 34 and needs to take care of himself. As much as he would like to bowl long spells, the coach has to tell him to manage himself more. It is better him bowling a bit less and staying fit than bowling more and getting injured. The same for Archer because England are in danger of making the same mistakes again."

The fifth and final Test begins on July 31 at The Oval, with the series 2-1 in favor of the hosts.

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Edited by Aditya Singh