🏏 Match Summary: India vs England – 4th Test (Old Trafford, July 23–27, 2025)
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First Innings
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India: 358 all out. Sai Sudharsan (61), Yashasvi Jaiswal (58), and Rishabh Pant (54) led the fightback. Ben Stokes starred with 5/72 to derail India’s top order.
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England: 669 all out. Joe Root (150), Ben Stokes (141), Zak Crawley (84), Ollie Pope (71), and Ben Duckett (94) piled on huge runs. India’s Jadeja picked up 4/143, Sundar 2/107, and Bumrah 2/112.
Second Innings (India)
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Trailing by 311 runs, India began shakily—KL Rahul and Gill fell early for no score. But a resolute partnership between Gill and Rahul steadied the innings by stumps on Day 4 at 174/2.
Final Day – Day 5
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India lost Rahul (90) and Gill (103), both pivotal. But the fightback truly belonged to the lower order. Ravindra Jadeja (107)* and Washington Sundar (101)* both scored unbeaten centuries, finishing India on 425/4 and batting out the final three sessions to secure the draw.
Result: Match drawn, England leads the series 2–1, heading to the final Test at The Oval.
Key Moments & Highlights
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Ben Stokes delivered a stellar all-round performance—scoring 141 and taking 5/72, becoming only the fourth male player to record 10+ Test centuries and five-fors in his career, joining the likes of Sobers, Botham, and Kallis.
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Shubman Gill notched his fourth Test century of the series—becoming the first Indian captain to score four 100s in a debut series, and only the third ever (alongside Bradman and Gavaskar) to do so in any series.
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Jadeja and Sundar’s unbeaten tons frustrated England’s bowlers and denied them their first chance to win the series. Their persistence drew criticism from former players like Dale Steyn, who accused them of chasing personal milestones at the expense of team goals.
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The final hours saw tension and controversy. Stokes reportedly offered a handshake for an early draw, but India continued batting to let Jadeja and Sundar complete their centuries, leading to emotional exchanges and debate over sportsmanship.
Series & What’s Next
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The Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy (newly replacing the Pataudi Trophy) remains at stake; England leads 2–1 after four Tests.
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England has made squad changes ahead of the fifth Test at The Oval, bringing in Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue, and Gus Atkinson to bolster their pace attack as they seek to clinch the series.
🔎 Overall Take
India’s draw was a masterclass in resilience and tactical grit. Despite conceding a massive first-innings lead, they fought tirelessly—especially on Day 5—to salvage the Test through seasoned batting and mental fortitude. With England just one win away from taking the series, the decider at The Oval promises to be intense.
