Ben Stokes is still getting flak for asking the Indian batsmen to agree to a draw which Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar refused. On Sunday with an hour left in the 4th Test between India and England in Manchester, Stokes asked Jadeja to finish the game as a win seemed impossible.
Jadeja and Sundar were close to their centuries when Stokes asked them to shake hands, hoping they’d agree to a draw. They declined and Stokes was upset and used part timers.
Jadeja and Sundar went on to get their centuries and the game ended in a draw.
Mohammad Kaif, former Indian cricketer, feels Stokes’s actions at the end of the Manchester Test cost him respect.
“Ben Stokes lost respect because he wanted to stop the game,” Kaif said in an Instagram clip. “Why would we agree to that? You couldn’t get India out even with almost 2 days to try. You couldn’t win. I don’t get why he wanted to stop the game.
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“Ben Stokes bowled well, scored a century and everyone praised him. It takes years to build respect but one wrong move can ruin it. Today was that moment for Ben Stokes; he lost respect,” he added.
Stokes took 5 wickets and scored a century in the game and was the player of the match.
“The rule says the Test match stops when both teams agree. Fans know who’s at fault here. Jadeja saved the Test match and Sundar batted till the end. They deserved their hundreds. Stokes should have shaken hands when they got to those scores. He wanted to finish the game when they were in 90s and tried to make it look like Jadeja and Sundar were wrong. No, it was England’s mistake. He shouldn’t have offered to end the game,” Kaif concluded.
