MANCHESTER [UK] – Stellar centuries from Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar in the second innings guided India to secure a draw in the fourth Test match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England at Old Trafford, Manchester, on Sunday, July 27, 2025. India batted for more than five sessions to save the Manchester Test, ending Day 5 at 425/4, with Jadeja on 107* and Sundar on 101* unbeaten at the crease. The duo formed a formidable 203-run partnership for the fifth wicket, shutting the doors on England’s hopes of a late comeback.
Ben Stokes was awarded Player of the Match for his brilliant five-wicket haul in the second innings, complemented by a stellar hundred in England’s first innings. This marked his consecutive Player of the Match award in the ongoing series.
England went wicketless in the final two sessions after taking the crucial wickets of Indian skipper Shubman Gill and KL Rahul in the first session of Day 5.
This draw marks an important milestone for India, as it’s the first time in 35 years that they have managed to draw a Test match at Old Trafford; the last such instance was in 1990.
India began the third session on 322/4, having taken a slender lead of 11 runs. The partnership between Sundar and Jadeja, which had already reached 100 runs by then, proved pivotal. “Sundar looked assured at the crease, batting on 57 not out at the break, while Jadeja once again showcased his ever-growing maturity in red-ball cricket with an unbeaten 53.” This fifty from Jadeja is the most for India from a No. 6 or below batter in a Test series (home or away), equalling VVS Laxman’s record from the 2002 tour of the West Indies.
In the 128th over, India crossed the 350-run mark after Jadeja powerfully struck a four off Liam Dawson, with both batters accelerating the scoring rate in the final session. Sundar took on Joe Root in the 140th over, smashing three back-to-back fours to push India past 400 runs. In the very next over, Jadeja slammed a six off Harry Brook to bring up his maiden century in England, and his third against the hosts in Test cricket. India also crossed a 100-run lead in the same over. Sundar, in the following over, also completed his maiden hundred in Test Cricket, capping off an extraordinary display of resilience.
Earlier in the second session, Sundar and Jadeja had already guided India to a safer position, reaching 322/4 at tea and securing a slender 11-run lead. The duo batted through the entire second session without losing a wicket, scoring 99 runs in 29 overs, a session described as “pure grit, patience, and smart batting.”
In the first session of Day 5, Shubman Gill’s exceptional innings of 103 had kept India in the game, as his side reached 223/4 at lunch. At that point, with Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja at the crease, the Shubman Gill-led side still trailed England’s mammoth first-innings total by 88 runs. India had started the day from 174/2, with Gill (78*) and opener KL Rahul (87*) unbeaten.
In the match, England won the toss and opted to bowl first. India made 358 in their first innings, with Sai Sudharsan being the top scorer. England then posted a huge total of 669, taking a commanding lead of 311, thanks to two centuries each from Joe Root and England skipper Ben Stokes. India suffered an early blow in their second innings, losing two wickets in the first over, but KL Rahul and Shubman Gill’s determined batting throughout Day 4 brought India back into a fighting position.
Brief Score: India 358 & 425/4 (Ravindra Jadeja 107*, Shubman Gill 103, Chris Woakes 2/67) vs England 669 (Joe Root 150, Ben Stokes 141, Ravindra Jadeja 4/143).