Mark Butcher weighs in on the handshake-gate during the Old Trafford Test, saying that the goal of the game had been achieved, and that he can understand England's initial frustration.
Having conceded a 311-run lead in the first innings, India were struggling at 0-2 in the second, but they fought back with two wicketless sessions courtesy of a resolute partnership between KL Rahul and Shubman Gill. It set the stage for a defensive final day, but the visitors looked in trouble when the two fell before lunch on day five.
However, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar took charge and ensured there were no further hiccups. With both batters nearing hundreds and a draw all but confirmed, England captain Stokes approached the pair to offer an early end to the game, which they refused.
Speaking on Wisden's Cricket Weekly podcast, former England batter Mark Butcher reflected on the incident, stating that the goal of the game had already been achieved at that point: "Having achieved the goal of drawing the game, which is the goal, England were perfectly entitled to say, 'You know what, congrats, well done, you were too good for us to force the victory, we're done, let's call it a day.'
"And I think India were entitled perhaps to go on and get those two guys' 100. But the thing that I go back to is this: Your goal is to see the game to safety, right? In the same way that in a run chase, your goal is to score one more run than the opposition or make sure you get over the line.
"Now, plenty of batters have been left 96, 97, 98, 99 not out in a run chase. And you can't keep the game going in order to satisfy your need to get three figures."
Mark Butcher: I can understand why England were irked
While the laws of the game allow for a draw to be mutually agreed upon during the final hour, India's decision to bat on appeared to frustrate the hosts, who made their displeasure clear through constant chirping on the field. As a form of protest, England turned to part-time bowlers Joe Root and Harry Brook, with the latter sending down a string of loopy off-breaks below 40mph. Jadeja soon reached his century, followed by Sundar, but not before another attempt to walk off the field by England: Brook appeared to offer Jadeja a handshake after his hundred, yet with Sundar still on 92, India opted to continue batting.
Finally, when Sundar reached his century in the 143rd over, both teams shook hands to officially end the match.
Butcher relived the incident and stated that England had a reason to be irked, but did not agree with their behaviour once India had declined: "I can understand why England were irked. I can't understand why they kept on once the decision had been declined or the offer had been declined, because India were well within their rights to do so. But again, you've been in the field for five sessions, another long five-day Test match. Everyone is a little bit overtired, shall we say, and in need of bedtime, and so tempers flared over a little bit."
"Did they deserve to score a couple of hundreds after playing so magnificently? Yes. Was keeping the entire operation out there for another half an hour while those two satisfied their need for the hundreds... I'm not entirely sure. I don't know if that's what the game is for, but individual milestones are important."
"We do celebrate milestones, but that's in pursuit of the match reaching some sort of conclusion. We didn't get one in the end, but I suppose the argument is that the conclusion had been reached. The game was drawn. That was India's goal. They set out to make sure that England did not win that Test match, and they achieved that, and anything after that doesn't matter anymore, you would think."
He continued: "But I absolutely defend their right to have said, 'No, we're gonna keep you out there until these two blokes get their hundreds and then we'll all walk off."
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