India secured a hard-fought draw against England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, keeping the series alive at 2-1 ahead of the final game.
Gill’s Historic Captaincy Century
Captain Shubman Gill led from the front, scoring a courageous century that marked his fourth of the series. This exceptional feat makes him the first Test captain in history to achieve four tons in an away series.
Only cricketing legends Don Bradman and Sunil Gavaskar have recorded four centuries in a single series as captains, placing Gill in truly elite company.
Jadeja’s All-Round Masterclass
Ravindra Jadeja was another pivotal figure, contributing with both bat and ball. He scored a dogged unbeaten century, his second at No. 6 or lower in a SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand, Australia) Test, a first for an Indian batter.
Jadeja also achieved a rare all-round milestone, becoming the first Indian to record 1000 runs and take 30 wickets in an away country. He joins an exclusive club alongside Wilfred Rhodes and Garry Sobers in achieving this feat.
India’s Remarkable Resilience
The draw was a testament to India’s extraordinary character and resilience. After losing two wickets without scoring a run in their second innings, the team battled for over five sessions, losing just two more wickets to end the final day on 425-4.
This gritty performance gave the home crowd little to cheer on a tough day for England, ensuring they couldn’t convert their significant first-innings lead into a victory.
Key Match Statistics
- Shubman Gill is the first Test captain to record four centuries in an away series, a feat only matched by Don Bradman and Sunil Gavaskar overall.
- India has now drawn 6 out of 13 historical Tests where they conceded a 300+ innings lead while batting second.
- KL Rahul and Shubman Gill’s 417-delivery third-wicket stand was the longest recorded partnership by an Indian pair for any wicket in England.
- This marks only the second drawn Test for England in the 40 matches played during the “Bazball” era, with the other also occurring in Manchester.
- Ravindra Jadeja became the first Indian to record 1000 runs and 30 wickets in an away country.
- India faced 1543 balls in this match, the most by any team in a single World Test Championship game.
This hard-fought draw at Old Trafford sets the stage for a thrilling series finale at The Oval, promising more high-stakes cricket as England aims to win the series and India looks to level it.
