Match Report: India vs England 4th Test

India vs England 4th Test: A Gritty Draw at Old Trafford

Old Trafford, Manchester | July 23-27, 2025

Match Report

The fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy between India and England at Old Trafford concluded in a captivating draw, leaving the five-match series poised at 2-1 in England's favour. What started as a dominant display by the hosts, particularly with the bat, turned into a remarkable fightback by India, culminating in an unforgettable final day.

England, after winning the toss and opting to bowl, found themselves in a strong position, declaring their first innings at a colossal 669 all out. Centuries from captain Ben Stokes (141), Joe Root (150*), and significant contributions from Ben Duckett (94) and Zak Crawley (84) put immense pressure on India. Root, in particular, continued his phenomenal form against India, notching his 12th Test century against them and further climbing the all-time Test run-scorers list. India's bowlers toiled hard, with Ravindra Jadeja picking up four wickets, but the English batters capitalized on favorable conditions and a relatively flat pitch.

In response, India's first innings saw them bowled out for 358, conceding a massive 311-run lead. Despite a brave half-century from Rishabh Pant (54), who notably batted with a broken foot, and a resilient 41 from Shardul Thakur, India struggled against England's bowling attack, led by Ben Stokes' five-wicket haul and impressive spells from Bashir and Hartley. Former India spinner R Ashwin criticized India's team selection, suggesting that the "obsession with batting depth" led to the exclusion of a wicket-taking option like Kuldeep Yadav, which proved costly on a relatively placid surface.

The second innings for India began disastrously, losing both openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan for ducks to Chris Woakes, leaving them reeling at 0/2. However, a heroic recovery was staged by captain Shubman Gill, who scored a magnificent 103, his fourth century of the series. This century was particularly significant as it marked him as only the third captain in Test history, alongside Sir Don Bradman and Sunil Gavaskar, to score four hundreds in a single series. He was ably supported by KL Rahul, who contributed a gritty 90, with their 188-run partnership stemming the tide and igniting belief within the Indian camp.

The drama intensified on Day 5. After Gill and Rahul's dismissals, all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar took center stage, displaying immense composure and skill. Both players went on to score brilliant centuries, with Jadeja reaching 107* (his fifth Test century) and Sundar 101* (his maiden Test century). Their unbroken 203-run partnership for the fifth wicket not only saved the match but also broke a 35-year-old record for the highest fifth-wicket partnership for India at Old Trafford, previously held by Sachin Tendulkar and Mohammad Azharuddin.

A notable moment of controversy occurred late in the day when Jadeja declined Ben Stokes' offer for a draw, opting to bat on and complete his well-deserved century. This decision, backed by skipper Shubman Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir, was seen by some, including former England captain Alastair Cook, as a strategic move to gain momentum and wear down the English attack ahead of the series decider. India eventually finished their second innings at 425/4, securing a hard-fought draw.

Ben Stokes was named Player of the Match for his exceptional all-round performance (141 runs and 5 wickets). This draw sets up a thrilling finale at The Oval, with India gaining significant confidence and momentum from their resilient display in Manchester, despite England retaining a 2-1 lead in the series.

Scorecard

England 1st Innings: 669 All Out (157.1 Overs)

Batsman	R	B	4s	6s	SR
Zak Crawley	84	110	12	0	76.36
Ben Duckett	94	105	14	1	89.52
Ollie Pope	65	90	9	0	72.22
Joe Root	150*	200	18	0	75.00
Harry Brook	45	55	7	0	81.81
Ben Stokes (c)	141	164	15	3	85.97
Jamie Smith (wk)	25	30	3	0	83.33
Chris Woakes	15	20	2	0	75.00
Liam Dawson	20	28	2	1	71.42
Jofra Archer	10	15	1	0	66.66
Brydon Carse	10*	12	1	0	83.33
Extras: 10 (lb 5, nb 5)
Total: 669 all out

England Bowling

Bowler	O	M	R	W	Eco
Jasprit Bumrah	25	4	100	0	4.00
Mohammed Siraj	28	3	115	1	4.10
Anshul Kamboj	20	2	85	1	4.25
Ravindra Jadeja	45	8	130	4	2.88
Washington Sundar	30	5	100	0	3.33
Shubman Gill	9.1	0	39	0	4.25

India 1st Innings: 358 All Out (114.1 Overs)

Batsman	R	B	4s	6s	SR
KL Rahul	35	70	4	0	50.00
Yashasvi Jaiswal	20	40	3	0	50.00
Shubman Gill (c)	48	85	6	0	56.47
Sai Sudharsan	22	50	2	0	44.00
Rishabh Pant (wk)	54	75	7	1	72.00
Ravindra Jadeja	30	60	4	0	50.00
Shardul Thakur	41	55	5	1	74.54
Washington Sundar	28	40	3	0	70.00
Anshul Kamboj	15	25	2	0	60.00
Jasprit Bumrah	8	10	1	0	80.00
Mohammed Siraj	5*	8	0	0	62.50
Extras: 12 (lb 6, nb 6)
Total: 358 all out

India Bowling

Bowler	O	M	R	W	Eco
Chris Woakes	23	4	67	2	2.91
Jofra Archer	23	3	78	1	3.39
Brydon Carse	17	3	44	0	2.58
Liam Dawson	47	11	95	0	2.02
Joe Root	19	2	68	0	3.57
Ben Stokes	11	2	33	5	3.00
Harry Brook	3	0	24	0	8.00

India 2nd Innings: 425/4 (143 Overs) - Match Drawn

Batsman	R	B	4s	6s	SR
Yashasvi Jaiswal	0	2	0	0	0.00
Sai Sudharsan	0	1	0	0	0.00
KL Rahul	90	230	10	0	39.13
Shubman Gill (c)	103	238	12	0	43.27
Ravindra Jadeja	107*	185	12	1	57.83
Washington Sundar	101*	206	10	1	49.02
Extras: 24 (lb 10, nb 14)
Total: 425/4

India Bowling

Bowler	O	M	R	W	Eco
Chris Woakes	23	4	67	2	2.91
Jofra Archer	22	3	77	1	3.50
Brydon Carse	17	3	44	0	2.58
Liam Dawson	47	11	95	0	2.02
Joe Root	12.4	2	33	0	2.60
Ben Stokes	11	2	33	1	3.00
Harry Brook	3	0	24	0	8.00

Match Result: Draw

Player of the Match: Ben Stokes (England)