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Key Points

Ben Stokes explained his decision to protect England's frontline bowlers rather than chase victory in the tense final overs. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar's unbeaten centuries batted India to safety in a gripping draw. Stokes revealed he specifically cautioned Harry Brook against overexertion during the closing stages. The England captain still claimed Player of the Match honors for his all-round performance.

Key Points: Stokes Explains Jadeja Chat on Protecting Bowlers in Manchester Test

  • Stokes prioritized bowler workload over chasing victory in final overs
  • Jadeja and Sundar's centuries secured India's dramatic draw
  • England skipper warned Harry Brook against risky bowling
  • Stokes earned POTM for five-wicket haul and century
3 min read

Was never going to risk any of my frontline bowlers: Stokes on chat with Jadeja in last few minutes of Manchester Test

Ben Stokes reveals why he refused to risk frontline bowlers in final overs as Jadeja and Sundar batted India to a draw in the Manchester Test.

"I was never going to risk any of my frontline bowlers with the short turnaround - Ben Stokes"

Manchester, July 28

After the completion of the Manchester Test against India, England Test skipper Ben Stokes opened up and revealed the conversation between him and star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja during the last few minutes of the Test match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025, which was played at Old Trafford.

As just 15 overs were left on Day 5, Stokes, along with other fielders Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, requested Jadeja to shake hands and finish off the game, but Jadeja denied as he, along with his batting partner, Washington Sundar, were cruising towards their respective centuries.

Speaking on the incident at the post-match press conference, Stokes told the media, "I think we took the game as far as we could with our frontline bowlers to take it as far as we could to think like we've got a real chance of still winning this game. But as soon as it got to that point where it was the draw's inevitable here, I was never going to risk any of my frontline bowlers with the short turnaround that we have and the workload that we've got through this week and throughout the series as well. So yeah, as soon as, you know, the 15 overs or last hour was there, it was always going to be a shake hands."

"As I said, the only other person who's actually got any bowling workload into them is Harry Brook. But I did have to tell him, 'Please don't do anything stupid.' We spent a lot of time out in the field, can't have you pulling aside or doing anything different. Naturally, you'll be fatigued, even if you don't bowl. So I was just like, just get through this period. But yeah, I wasn't going to risk any of my, you know, proper bowling options in that situation when we knew what was going on," he added.

Recapping the Manchester Test, stellar centuries from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar in the second innings guided India to secure a draw in the fourth test match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England at Old Trafford, Manchester on Sunday.

India batted for more than five sessions to save the Manchester Test. India, at the end of the final session on Day 5, was 425/4, with Jadeja 107* and Sundar 101* unbeaten at the crease. The duo added 203 runs for the fifth wicket.

Ben Stokes was awarded player of the match for his brilliant five-wicket haul, followed by a stellar hundred in the first innings. This was his consecutive POTM award in the ongoing series.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

P
Priya M
I don't agree with Stokes here. As a captain, you should fight till the last ball! Jadeja was right to continue batting. This is why test cricket is special - every session matters.
A
Aryan K
Washington Sundar is proving to be a gem for India! His temperament is amazing for a young player. Future of Indian test cricket looks bright with talents like him and Jaiswal.
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Sarah B
As a neutral fan, this was fantastic cricket from both teams. Stokes' sportsmanship deserves praise, but Jadeja's determination was equally commendable. Test cricket needs more such contests!
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Vikram P
Jadeja proving again why he's India's most valuable player across formats. His improvement in test batting is remarkable. Remember when people used to call him just a T20 specialist?
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Nisha R
While I'm happy with the draw, our top order needs to step up. Can't always rely on lower middle order to bail us out. Hope the team management takes note before the next match.

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