Ben Stokes was allegedly seen refusing to shake hands with Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar after the drawn Old Trafford Test, but that is not true.
What was the incident?
India, trailing 2-1 in the five-match series, conceded a 311-run lead after England’s first innings. They were struggling at 0-2 in the second essay and needed a mammoth effort to stay alive in the series. What followed was some inspired rearguard action, led by Shubman Gill (103) and KL Rahul (90), as India went to stumps without losing another wicket at the end of day four.
On the final day, India lost the two early, but Jadeja and Sundar ensured no further hiccups, as they batted out 55.2 overs to take India towards safety. With a draw looking inevitable before the start of the final hour of play, Stokes - hand extended - went up to the batters as he looked to settle for a draw and get off the field. However, with both batters nearing personal milestones, they opted to carry on playing, declining Stokes’ offer with 15 overs still left in the day. The decision seemed to frustrate the England captain, who later defended his stance by stating, "As soon as the draw looked inevitable, I wasn’t going to risk my bowlers with the short turnaround before the next Test."
On the field, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett were also seen questioning India’s decision to play on. In reply, Stokes handed the ball to part-timer Harry Brook alongside Joe Root, as both batters reached their centuries.
After the match was officially drawn, footage emerged that appeared to show Stokes refusing to shake hands with Jadeja and Sundar. In a clip that quickly gained traction online, Stokes was seen walking past the pair during the customary post-match handshakes, while other England players exchanged pleasantries with the Indian cricketers.
Did Ben Stokes shake hands with Jadeja and Sundar?
A second video later emerged showing Stokes shaking hands with both the batters as soon as the game ended, contradicting earlier claims of a complete snub. He was, in fact, the first England player to walk up to the two, shaking hands in the middle of the pitch.
Stokes had also offered Jadeja a warm hug after the latter was on the receiving end of a narrow defeat at Lord’s in the third Test. Chasing 193, India were reduced to 112-8, but Jadeja farmed the strike brilliantly, first with Jasprit Bumrah and then Mohammed Siraj, bringing India close.
Jadeja batted 181 balls for 61 runs, with the last two partnerships facing 35.2 overs before Siraj was dismissed. After their celebrations, the England players walked up to the two heartbroken India players, with Stokes, often in comparison with Jadeja on being the best all-rounder of the generation, consoling him with an embrace.
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