Ben Stokes Wants Indians To “Move On” From Last 20 Minutes of Manchester Test Handshake Fiasco 

Ex-England captain Nasser Hussain criticized Ben Stokes for the 'Handshake' controversy, calling his decision to hand the ball to Harry Brook 'silly'.

Ben Stokes Wants Indians To “Move On” From Last 20 Minutes of Manchester Test Handshake Fiasco 

Ben Stokes urged the Indian players to 'move on' from the 'Handshake' controversy. (via NDTV)

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England captain Ben Stokes seemingly shifted his stance on the ‘Handshake’ controversy that erupted on the final day of the drawn fourth Test, against India at Old Trafford. Stokes urged the Indian team to ‘move on’ from the incident, stating that his own side has already done so.

Ben Stokes was at the center of a major fiasco that unfolded in the final stages of the fourth Test match. The Indian batting unit staged a strong fightback after England had secured a massive 311-run first-innings lead. Recognizing that only a draw was possible, Stokes, in the final hour, extended a handshake to Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, to call for an early draw and an end to the match. 

However, the Indian all-rounders, who were then in their eighties, declined to shake hands. Both Jadeja and Sundar wished to continue batting for the remaining 15 overs to complete their centuries, before considering any declaration.

A visibly frustrated Ben Stokes responded by taunting and sledging the duo. He even conveyed his displeasure by bringing on Harry Brook to bowl in the final overs, mocking Jadeja by questioning if he would truly score a hundred against a part-time bowler.

While the two Indian all-rounders, unfazed, later went on to complete their hundreds and bring a close to the match, Stokes’ actions in the final hour drew widespread criticism. He was slammed for trying to prevnt Jadeja and Sundar from getting well-deserved personal milestones. Ben Stokes later clarified that his reason for offering an early handshake was to allow his bowlers to rest ahead of the final Test.

Ben Stokes, on the eve of the final showdown at The Oval, appeared to change his stance, while speaking to the reporters, stating that he now understands why Jadeja and Sundar wanted to reach their hundreds, despite the imminent result being a draw. While maintaining his earlier clarification that he did not want to risk his frontline bowlers, the England captain now urged the Indian players to ‘move on’ from the events of the final 20 minutes.

We’re over it, I think India are over that whole thing. Let’s just try our best not to focus too much on 20-minute period of cricket, um. It’s been such a good series though.

Furthermore, he exclaimed that he now comprehends the situation that the Indian players were in during the final stages. Stokes added that his side had already moved past, and hoped the Indian players would do the same, focusing instead on how competitive the series has been. These comments come ahead of the confirmation that the 34-year-old will not feature in the fifth Test due to a shoulder injury.

You do have a bit more of an understanding towards both sides. Two lads, [Ravindra] Jadeja and Washington played incredibly well up until that point.

Stokes was also involved in another controversy post-match, where he initially refused to shake hands with Jadeja and Sundar. However, the air was later cleared when a video confirmed that he was, in fact, the first to shake hands with the two Indian all-rounders.

Ben Stokes Questioned About Oval Pitch Controversy Involving Gautam Gambhir

On the eve of the final Test match between India and England, Ben Stokes was questioned about the recent controversy involving India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir and Oval pitch curator Lee Fortis. Gambhir had been caught, making an angry rant at the groundsman during the training session.

Ben Stokes on Gautam Gambhir-pitch controversy
Ben Stokes refused on comment on the Gautam Gambhir-Oval pitch curator controversy. (via Hindustan Times)

A heated exchange unfolded between Gambhir and Lee Fortis, with the Indian head coach seen angrily confronting the Oval curator, after he objected to the team’s using the pitch square for training. It showed Gambhir instructing Fortis to ‘stay within his limits.’ When asked about this incident, England captain Ben Stokes stated that he was not present at the time, and was therefore in no position to comment on it.

The ugly dispute between Gambhir and the pitch curator has yet to be officially noted by the match referee, Jeff Crowe. India’s assistant coach Sitanshu Kotak, while clarifying his side’s stance in the spat, confirmed that the Men in Blue would not be lodging any formal complaint.