The fourth Test between India and England ended in a stalemate at Old Trafford, marking the fifth consecutive first-class match at the venue to conclude without a result. This run includes four County Championship draws involving Lancashire. Despite England holding a massive first-innings lead of 318 runs, a spirited Day 5 fightback from India saw centuries from Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar, compelling England captain Ben Stokes to shake hands in acceptance of the draw.
According to The Times of India, no team has won a Test match at Old Trafford after bowling first. India, having been put into bat, posted 358 in their first innings, bolstered by half-centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal (58), Sai Sudharsan (61), and Rishabh Pant (54), who returned to bat despite sustaining a foot injury from a Chris Woakes delivery on Day 1. KL Rahul (45) and Shardul Thakur (44) also made valuable contributions.
In response, England dominated proceedings, piling on a colossal 669. Joe Root led the charge with a majestic 150, a knock that saw him leapfrog Rahul Dravid and Ricky Ponting to become the second-highest run-scorer in Test cricket—behind only Sachin Tendulkar. Captain Ben Stokes also etched his name into the history books, becoming just the third all-rounder to achieve the double of 7,000 Test runs and 200 wickets. His all-round performance—141 runs and a five-wicket haul—stood out as the highlight of the match.
India’s second innings began disastrously, with both openers—Jaiswal and Sudharsan—dismissed for ducks in the very first over. Reeling at 0 for 2 and still trailing by 318, the visitors faced a daunting task. However, captain Shubman Gill and KL Rahul mounted a resilient partnership of 174 on Day 4, stabilising the innings and shifting the momentum towards India.
On the final day, despite early dismissals of Rahul and Gill, India’s lower middle-order held firm. Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja both struck defiant centuries, absorbing pressure and batting through the final session to ensure the match ended in a draw.
What’s Next?
The series now moves to its final chapter at The Oval, London, with the fifth and deciding Test set to begin on August 31. Both teams have a three-day break to regroup and recover. However, India have suffered a setback—head coach Gautam Gambhir confirmed during the post-match press conference that wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will miss the final Test due to the foot injury he aggravated earlier in the match.