Jadeja And Sundar Post Unbeaten Tons As India Repel England To Draw Fourth Test

At nan extremity of 5 exhausting days that produced plentifulness of memories but nary outright winner, it was India who were celebrating. England made astir of nan moving successful this 4th Test, only to beryllium thwarted by an awesome rearguard connected nan last time and near grumbling by nan pursuit of 2 milestones that delayed nan handshakes.

Sitting 2-1 down pinch 1 to play, Shubman Gill’s visitors tin nary longer triumph nan bid outright but they now caput to nan Oval buoyed by drafting this game. Ben Stokes gave it everything – 141 successful England’s first innings, six wickets pinch nan shot – and could bespeak connected his finest all-round lucifer by measurement of numbers but this was scant consolation, 1 suspects, having pushed done nan symptom obstruction for nan consequence he dislikes nan most.

It was conscionable nan 2nd clip that a Test has ended arsenic a stalemate nether his captaincy, but dissimilar nan erstwhile 1 – that soggy matter present 2 years ago, erstwhile England’s hopes of regaining nan Ashes were washed distant – location were nary gripes astir nan Manchester weather. The last time stayed barren and India, who started it connected 174 for two, still 137 runs successful arrears, batted each 3 sessions for nan nonaccomplishment of conscionable 2 more.

As overmuch arsenic England toiled, continuing a bid successful which their potency has dropped disconnected aft nan shot has mislaid its shine, this was decided chiefly by an uncompromising show from India’s batters. The aboveground still had much Mogwais than Gremlins connected its 5th time but from nary for 2 earlier luncheon connected nan fourth, 311 down aft shipping 669 runs successful 157 overs, lesser sides mightiness person wilted nether scoreboard unit alone.

Yet India repelled everything, Gill’s masterful 103 from 238 balls, and 90 from KL Rahul, mounting a template that was followed assiduously by Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. Jadeja made an unbeaten 107 from 185, Sundar 101 not retired from 206 — moreover if nan completion of these hundreds of years triggered nan latest spot of needle successful this series.

At 5.20pm, nan commencement of nan last hour, India were 386 for four, starring by 75 runs, and nan Test had agelong since been decided. But while Stokes wanted to shingle hands and return his squad disconnected nan field, Gill successful nan distant dressing room was unmoved. Instead he wanted Jadeja, past connected 89, and Sundar, 80, to tick disconnected nan milestones their efforts deserved.

And truthful overmuch to nan chagrin of nan England skipper – and nan delight of nan Indian supporters who stayed acold later than their equivalents – location were 28 much balls sent down. Jadeja smoked Harry Brook for six to bring up his 5th century, earlier Sundar drilled a 4 to declare his first and trigger nan end. Brook, having chirped him relentlessly passim this prickly past transition of play, had to suck it up.