England vs India test draw After Gill-Sundar-Jadeja Centuries.

July 28, 2025 Tushar Al Bayzid

In a bizarre yet thrilling finale at Old Trafford, India’s Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar defied England’s push for victory, each scoring magnificent centuries to force a dramatic England vs India Test draw. The match, which seemed destined for a tame conclusion, took an unexpected turn when England captain Ben Stokes offered to shake hands early—only for the Indian duo to refuse, determined to reach their personal milestones.

With fading light and part-time spinners like Harry Brook and Joe Root bowling, Jadeja and Sundar raced to their centuries in near-darkness. Jadeja struck a six off Brook to complete his fifth Test hundred, while Sundar, playing just his eighth Test, reached his maiden century moments later. Only then did both teams agree to end the match, ensuring the series remained alive at 2-1 in England’s favor ahead of the decisive fifth Test at The Oval.

The partnership was nothing short of heroic. After India had stumbled to 222/4—still trailing by 89 runs—Jadeja (107) and Sundar (101) batted through the final two sessions, adding an unbroken 203-run stand. Their resilience not only saved India from an innings defeat but also kept the series competitive. Earlier, Shubman Gill (103) and KL Rahul (90) had laid the foundation with a 188-run partnership, with Gill joining legends like Don Bradman and Sunil Gavaskar with his fourth century of the series.

England, who had posted a mammoth 669 in their first innings, were left frustrated as India finished at 425/4. Stokes, named Player of the Match for his all-round contributions, admitted the pitch had flattened out but praised India’s grit. “Credit to them—they batted superbly under pressure,” he said.

The England vs India Test draw sets up a blockbuster finale, with India now needing a win at The Oval to level the series. For Jadeja and Sundar, their defiant centuries will be remembered as one of Test cricket’s great rearguard actions—a fitting climax to a match that refused to end quietly.