On July 27, 2025, the fourth Test between India and England at Old Trafford ended with a jaw-dropping conclusion, with India’s resilient batting earning a remarkable draw, but keeping their series hope very much alive at 2-1. Captain Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar all became stars with hundreds of their own to resist England’s push for victory on the back of Ben Stokes’ excellent all-round performance. The real drama was Gill asking England’s captain to give India a chance to chase down their tons, refusing to end the match early, which left Jadeja and Sundar to continue batting. This sparked tension between the teams on the field, a flurry of social-media memes, and reignited the fire in India’s series campaign. As both teams now look ahead to the fifth Test at The Oval, what made this draw so special and what is at stake next?
A Test of Grit and Glory
India had a considerable challenge to overcome for day four, having to chase down a staggering 311 runs following England’s ginormous 669 all out, which became the highest score in Test history at Old Trafford. Things began terribly for India in their second innings when Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan were stumped by Chris Woakes on successive balls in the first over, leaving India at 1/2. Shubman Gill (103) and KL Rahul (90) were able to stabilize the innings, putting on a 188-run partnership and had resisted for more than a day against England. On the final day, as Stokes struck early to dismiss Rahul LBW. That same day, Gill’s fifth century of the series, broadcast by legendary players such as Sunil Gavaskar and Don Bradman, would keep India contention. Capitalising on Joe Root’s dropped catch off Jadeja’s first ball and went on to build an unbroken 203 stand with Sundar (101*), who was moved up to No. 5 for injured Rishabh Pant and finished 107* to lead India to 425/4 and a draw by 75 runs.
The Draw Drama: Gill’s Bold Stand
At 5:20 PM, the match was obviously destined for a draw, and the England captain Ben Stokes suggested a handshake to end the match in accordance with ICC rules, which allows captains to end the match anytime in the last hour if there is no chance of winning. With Jadeja (90) and Sundar (84) on the cusp of completing their centuries, Gill declined the handshake from Stokes, with permission from coach Gautam Gambhir, who was intending for both batters to get to the milestones during this Test match – which they did, Jadeja by hitting six off Harry Brook’s part time spin and Sundar with a beautiful cover drive. The England team was obviously frustrated as Stokes commented, “You want a Test 100 against Harry Brook? You could have batted like that earlier,” while Brook had something to say to Jadeja and Zak Crawley commented too. Social media had a field day, many memes ridiculing Stokes reaction and fans praising India for that. The extra 28 balls batted by the two players kept the tired England bowlers on the field for a bit longer, while Gill would have enjoyed getting back to cutting some of the side’s strawberries in time for the fifth Test, just three days away.
England’s Struggle and Stokes’ Heroics
The momentum with Stokes’ 141 runs and six wickets, England made a fast start even without seizing the opportunity from a 4.6 rated pitch by CricViz. Stokes, fighting cramps and his hanging shoulder, flared up yet he managed to bowl a fiery eight-over spell on day five where he dismissed Rahul but the 129 overs had taken a toll and he could only bowl one over post lunch. Liam Dawson bowled 47 overs without taking a wicket, while Jofra Archer and Chris Woakes struggled on a flat pitch. A crucial moment when Root dropped Jadeja, looked like a ‘sliding doors’ moment which could have shifted the game. Stokes was named Player of the Match and praised India’s determination, saying, “They were hard to dislodge” but he often showed frustration when England was without a win and could only reflect for only their second draw in 40 Tests in his role as captain.
Political and Strategic Implications
There are wider repercussions from the draw that go beyond just cricket. India has pushed back, and with a young team and Shubman Gill in charge, many who questioned India’s bowling and batting depth, especially without Virat Kohli, may be reassessing their positions. Gill’s mindset shows he is thinking regardless of developments, firstly he hasn’t given up personal milestones, and more importantly has taken the approach that he will find a way to tire out England’s bowlers. Gill has lifted the team collectively in this regard as India progresses to The Oval with a chance to win the match and level the series at 2-2, but not to win the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy outright. There were some from the match which praised India for sticking to their gameplan, the @ICC said it was “incredible drama” and that @SuperSportBlitz stated the series lived to fight another day at 2-1. However, England has suffered physically, Ben Stokes doubtful and Rishabh Pant already ruled out for the fith Test, that is a slight, also in terms of physical fitness. On that note in terms of players getting into games, India has selected Narayan Jagadeesan to replace Rishabh Pant which sends a message that they want to keep an eye on new opportunities.
The Road to The Oval
With the series now 2-1, the stage is set for a blockbuster finish with the fifth Test commencing on 31 July, 2025. India will look to capitalise on the fatigue of England, with Gambhir confirming Bumrah is fit again and he is back up to speed after an injury-affected season. England have been there before, having to wait at least seven years to win a red-ball series against India, but will most likely turn to Stokes for leadership and rely on Zak Crawley, as a recognized top performer, to find form. Regardless of the draw in the fourth Test, the momentum has shifted for India, the young brigade of Gill, Jadeja and Sundar proving they can contribute to the fight. As both teams head to London, the luck of the draw has paved the way for an even game for the Anderson versus Tendulkar trophy.
By drawing the fourth Test at Old Trafford, India proved their resilience and coach’s strategy is sound. They were living on the edge with their backs up against the wall, but they turned a near-defeat into a morale-boosting draw. Gill’s dithering about accepting Stokes’ offer to draw, along with Jadeja and Sundar’s centuries, not only marked significant personal accomplishments, but created an exciting finale series for fans. As the two teams prepare for The Oval, the amazing finale will have cricket followers on edge leading up to this final chapter. Don’t be left out of the action, catch the fifth Test to see what will be a historic run to the fence.
