Ben Stokes, England Lost Moral High Ground in Manchester Amid ‘Ugly Scene’: ‘Cracks Begin to Show’
Sayuri YukiLegendary Australian batter Greg Chappell didn’t hold back as he slammed Ben Stokes and England for their antics at the end of the Manchester Test.
Ben Stokes: Greg Chappell Slams England’s ‘Bazball Facade’ After Manchester Test Draw
Legendary Australian batter Greg Chappell pulled no punches in criticizing Ben Stokes and England for what he described as a “facade” during the final moments of the Manchester Test, where India secured a draw thanks to superb batting performances from KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar.
With the match heading for a draw, Ben Stokes approached Jadeja and Sundar—batting on 89 and 80 respectively—to shake hands and call it off. However, both Indian batters, closing in on centuries, declined the offer and chose to bat on. Irritated by the refusal, Ben Stokes reportedly snapped at Jadeja, saying, “You want to get a hundred against Harry Brook?”
Ben Stokes then handed the ball to Brook, who proceeded to bowl a series of half-hearted long-hops. Both Jadeja and Sundar eventually reached their centuries, after which play ended.
Chappell, in his column for ESPNcricinfo, condemned the episode: “What should have been a celebration of Test cricket’s enduring drama ended in an ugly scene: England’s fielders aiming barbs and bouncers at India’s centurions-in-waiting.”
He further criticized England’s hypocrisy: “For a team that has traded on the breezy moralism of the Bazball era, the petulance was jarring. England, often quick to claim moral victories, inadvertently surrendered the high ground here. India, conversely, left Manchester buoyed not only by resilience but also by the visible cracks in the English facade.”
‘Dogged resistance’
Greg Chappell continued his scathing critique of England’s behavior in the Manchester Test while applauding the Indian batters for their remarkable resilience under pressure. The legendary Australian lauded India’s fightback, crediting the likes of KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar, and Ravindra Jadeja for grinding out a draw against a tiring and increasingly frustrated English side.
“At Old Trafford, India conjured a thrilling escape to draw the fourth Test, frustrating an English side that had sniffed victory but ran out of puff and poise,” Chappell wrote in his ESPNcricinfo column. “A century eluded KL Rahul, but Shubman Gill brought up his fourth for the series.”
He further commended India’s unyielding stand: “Their dogged resistance, alongside the calm defiance of Washington Sundar and the ever-reliable Ravindra Jadeja, ensured India walked away with honours even — and perhaps even the upper hand.”
Chappell stressed that while England’s bowlers visibly wore down by the final session, it was their lack of composure—particularly in the final exchanges—that would leave a lasting impression. “England’s bowlers looked weary by the final session, but it was their loss of composure, not stamina, that will be most remembered.”
India now head into the fifth and final Test at The Oval, starting Thursday, July 31, with the chance to level the five-match series. England currently lead 2-1.
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