Ben Stokes issues blistering statement on handshake row in Manchester Test after backlash

England National Cricket Team skipper Ben Stokes has been at the receiving end of heavy criticism after the handshake row in the fourth Test match against the India National Cricket Team.

The fourth Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 between India and England went down to the last session before ending in a draw at Old Trafford in Manchester.

Also Read: The day 'Crybaby' Ben Stokes forgot sportsmanship: Why his handshake snub disgraced Cricket

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Ben Stokes' offer for a handshake rejected by India

India and England battled hard in the Manchester Test match, but the visitors managed to secure a draw with the help of a remarkable batting display in the third innings.

The series currently stands at 2-1 in favour of the hosts, and the fifth and final match is scheduled to be played at Kennington Oval in London from July 31.

Meanwhile, the biggest talking point coming out of the Manchester Test was the 'handshake row' that happened during the final session on Day 5.

As the final hour of play was about to start, Ben Stokes made peace with the fact that a draw was the only result possible in the match, and he offered a handshake to Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar.

However, Ravindra Jadeja, who was at 89*, and Washington Sundar, who was at 80*, denied a handshake and wanted to complete their centuries.

This left Stokes furious, who was engaged in a heated spat with Jadeja and Sundar, but the India all-rounders batted on for five more overs to complete their tons.

The knock that those two played was very, very good - Ben Stokes

At the post-match press conference, Ben Stokes lauded Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja for their batting brilliance, but said that chasing centuries didn't matter much because they had already saved the game for India. He elaborated:

"The knock that those two played was very, very good. The situation that India found themselves in there, with us opening the game slightly, that partnership was massive. You hold your hands up, they played incredibly, incredibly well. And I don't think there would've been too much more satisfaction from walking off a hundred not out, getting your team out of a tricky situation, than walking off at 80, 90 not out.

"That's what you've done for your team. You know, the 10 more runs or whatever it was ain't gonna change the fact that you've managed to get your team out of a very, very, very tricky situation and almost saved your team from a series defeat before the last game."

I wasn't going to be risking any of my frontline bowlers - Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes further justified his handshake offer and aggression, stating that he didn't want to risk his fast bowler with nothing to gain in the match and a short turnaround for the series finale. He explained:

"We were willing to take it as far as we possibly could and throw everything at them that we did, but it got to that point where there was obviously only one result left on the table and I wasn't going to be risking any of my frontline bowlers in a situation like that, especially when we've got a quick turnaround," he said.

"The only other person who actually has any bowling workload in them is Harry Brook. But I did have to say to him, please don't do anything stupid. We've been out in the field for 200-and-whatever overs, we've got a quick turnaround, so just do what needs to be done. I said don't do anything daft: don't pull a side, don't pull a hamstring. We knew what was going on there."