Dale Steyn Slams Jadeja, Backs Stokes on Handshake Row
South African fast bowling legend Dale Steyn has taken a firm stance in favor of Ben Stokes following the handshake controversy during the final moments of the fourth Test between India and England in Manchester. Steyn questioned Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar for prioritizing their personal centuries over the spirit of the game, after India had successfully drawn the match.
Jadeja and Sundar’s unbeaten 203-run partnership helped India escape from a dangerous position at 0/2 and deny England a win. However, with the game clearly headed for a draw, Stokes offered a handshake to conclude proceedings early. The Indian batters, however, declined and continued batting until they both completed their hundreds, which came shortly after.
While many backed the Indians for asserting their right to continue, Steyn said that once the draw was assured, pushing for personal milestones felt out of place, even if it was within the rules.
Steyn Urges More Aggressive Batting to Avoid Controversy
Replying to fellow South African Tabraiz Shamsi on X (formerly Twitter), Steyn acknowledged that Jadeja and Sundar had every right to continue batting but pointed out that they should have picked up the pace to reach their centuries earlier. He suggested that once the goal of drawing the match was achieved, it would have been more respectful to end play with a handshake.
Steyn tweeted, “The batters weren’t playing for 100s, they were batting for a DRAW. Once that was accomplished, a handshake was offered. That’s the gentlemanly thing to do.”
He added that while Jadeja and Sundar performed admirably, the situation appeared odd and could have been avoided with a faster approach toward their milestones.
The fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy begins Thursday at The Oval, with England leading the series 2-1 and India eyeing a comeback to level the contest.
Stay tuned for all the latest Match Predictions, Fantasy Tips, Cricket updates, match highlights, player analysis, and viral moments!
