Steyn Slams Jadeja & Sundar for Chasing Personal Milestones After Securing Draw

Former South African pace legend Dale Steyn has sharply criticised Indian all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar for continuing to bat in pursuit of centuries in the final hour of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, arguing it undermined the team’s primary objective of saving the match.

Once England captain Ben Stokes offered a handshake to signal a draw—through mutual agreement—Jadeja (on 89*) and Sundar (on 80*) declined and batted on, eventually completing tons and drawing widespread debate across the cricket world.

Steyn responded to Proteas spinner Tabraiz Shamsi’s social media defence of the Indian duo, arguing: “The batters weren’t playing for 100s, they were batting for a DRAW. That was the goal. Once that was accomplished, and a result was out of the question, a handshake was offered—that’s the gentlemanly thing to do… It’s not then the time to say, ‘No, we’d prefer some free milestones’… although within the rules, it just seems a little odd.” 

Meanwhile, cricket purists have weighed in—Ravichandran Ashwin came to their defence, stating that Stokes’s frustration was not the Indian team's concern and highlighting that Jadeja and Sundar were fully entitled to chase their milestones within the rules.

Stokes later suggested he would have preferred the draw accepted early for the sake of team strategy and player workload, while acknowledging the 203-run partnership between Jadeja and Sundar was vital in salvaging the match.