Why should India be nice? Geoffrey Boycott slams Ben Stokes over Manchester Test drama
Geoffrey Boycott defends Jadeja and Sundar for snubbing draw vs England, slams Ben Stokes' poor sportsmanship and questions England's bowling.
New Delhi: England legend Geoffrey Boycott has taken a strong stance against Ben Stokes and his teammates for what he described as poor sportsmanship on the final day of the Manchester Test.
The drama unfolded just before the final hour of play when Indian duo Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar declined England captain Ben Stokes’ offer to shake hands and call off the match. At the time, Jadeja and Sundar were batting on 89 and 90, respectively, and were determined to reach personal milestones while also ensuring a draw. Their decision left Stokes visibly annoyed, sparking a fresh wave of debate in the cricketing world.
Boycott defends India’s stand
Writing in his Telegraph column, Boycott strongly backed the Indian pair, praising their grit and determination. "What goes around comes around,” he wrote. "England were chirpy enough when it suited them, so you can’t blame India for staying on and allowing two batters, who had worked their socks off, to try for their hundreds.”
He added sharply, "If you dish it out, like England do, then you’ve got to take it back too. I heard them through the stump mics chirping away at India. So why should India be nice and agree to walk off just because England had had enough?”
Jadeja and Sundar had batted for over two sessions, rescuing India from trouble and dragging the match to a hard-earned draw with their 203-run stand for the fifth wicket. Their composure and resolve under pressure won praise not just from fans but also from former players like Boycott.
Sledging and poor bowling tactics under fire
Boycott didn't stop at just defending the Indians. He also criticized the excessive sledging from England’s current crop of players. "I don’t know what’s with modern cricketers—too much mouthing off these days. It never happened like this in our time. This will continue at the Oval, and India will arrive believing they got a moral win at Old Trafford,” he noted.
He went on to slam England’s bowling strategy, highlighting how the team failed to dismiss India despite piling up a massive 669 in the first innings. "You learn more from failure than success. And we failed to bowl India out. That shows there are issues with our bowling attack. If your best bowler in both innings is your captain who is primarily a batsman something’s clearly wrong.”
Looking ahead
While Boycott did appreciate Stokes’ commitment with the ball, he urged better workload management. "He gave it his all, but lacked support from the other end. Only Jofra Archer contributed at times. Stokes must bowl a little less and stay fit instead of risking injury by doing too much.”
With the dust yet to settle from Manchester, attention now turns to the Oval for the fifth and final Test. England lead 2–1 but can India turn the tables in the decider?