India pulled off a miraculous draw from the jaws of defeat in the fourth Test of the five-match series against England at the Old Trafford Cricket Ground in Manchester. Two players who played some of the most crucial roles were Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja. Both all-rounders remained unbeaten on centuries and stitched a partnership of 203 for the for the fifth wicket. Four overs before play officially ended, Ben Stokes offered a handshake to both batters to finish the game, but they refused, clearly indicating that they want to go for their centuries after their monumental batting efforts on Day 5. This rattled the England captain and players as they gave an earful to the Indian stars after that. After the match was over, head coach Gautam Gambhir has now fired back at England.

In the post-match press conference, Gautam Gambhir came out in support of Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja, saying that they absolutely deserved hundreds, because one was batting on 90 and the other on 85, when Ben Stokes offered the handshake. In fact, the head coach also sressed on the fact that it was an opportunity for Sundar to get his maiden Test century. He also questioned whether England would have walked off if they were in the same situation.

“If someone is batting on 90, and the other is batting on 85, don't they deserve a hundred? Would they have walked off? If someone from England would've been batting on 90 or 85, and had the opportunity to score their first Test hundred, wouldn't you allow them to do it?” Gambhir questioned.

“See, it's up to them. If they want to play that way, it's up to them. I think both of those guys deserved a hundred, and they got it,” the Team India head coach added.

India and England will next take on each other in the fifth Test of the series beginning from Thursday, July 31.