After spending 157 overs in the field and being reduced to 0 for 2 in the second innings, India staged a heroic fightback that will go down as one of their greatest rearguard actions since the historic 2021 Gabba Test. This wasn’t just about survival — it was about character, belief, and the will to compete against the odds.Starting the final day with KL Rahul and captain Shubman Gill at the crease, India faced the daunting task of batting out the day against a relentless English attack. Rahul, known for his composure, and Gill, showing increasing authority as a young leader, had their task cut out. Both, however, fell before lunch, and theearly cracks in India’s resistance began to show.But what followed was a lesson in defiance. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, batting with discipline, intelligence, and immense courage, absorbed the pressure and wore down the bowlers session by session. They were unflinching in defence, precise in shot selection, and remarkably composed under the weight of expectation. Every run felt like a victory, every block a statement of intent.It was a day where India’s herculean batting effort, with their backs to the wall, needed to be the headline. They didn’t just draw a Test — they fought for it with a ferocity and steel that Test cricket lives for.Yet, as the shadows lengthened and India looked well on their way to securing the draw, the match took an unfortunate turn. With Jadeja and Sundar both nearing personal milestones — hundreds that would have crowned a day of immense resolve — confusion crept in. One side wanted to play on, the other was ready to walk off. A match played with intensity and pride was, in its final minutes, blurred by differing views on how it should end.Cricket, a game often defined by its spirit, was momentarily caught in an awkward standoff. While personal milestones shouldn’t dictate the team’s larger goals, the timing of the proposed handshake and the disagreement that followed took away some sheen from what had been a classic Test battle.Still, the larger picture remains clear — India, from a position of near-certain defeat, managed to claw their way to safety through sheer application and belief. The draw will feel like a win in their dressing room. England, for all their dominance, will be left wondering how they let it slip away.And so, as the teams move to The Oval for the next Test, the series is not just delicately poised in terms of results, but emotionally charged as well. There’s tension, there’s unfinished business, and there’s the unmistakable feeling that the next chapter in this series is going to be fiery.This was Test cricket at its rawest and most riveting — flawed, emotional, and utterly unforgettable.— The writer is a former captain of the Mumbai cricket team
Great escape: India’s gritty defiance secures memorable draw at Old Trafford
