Former South African pacer slams Jadeja, Sundar for chasing 'free milestones'

Former South African fast bowler Dale Steyn has stirred debate by criticising Indian all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar for allegedly chasing personal milestones instead of accepting a sporting draw in the fourth Test against England in Manchester.

The Test, which was clearly heading for a draw, saw England captain Ben Stokes approach Jadeja with a handshake offer to conclude the match early.

However, India chose to continue, allowing both Jadeja and Sundar to complete their centuries before the match officially ended, leaving the English side bemused.

South African spinner Tabraiz Shamsi defended India's stance, stating that the team was well within its rights to reject the offer and continue playing.

“Why is there such a big deal being made about the Indians choosing not to accept the offer to end the game in a draw immediately? The offer was made, the offer was rejected, and they were fully entitled to make their choice. They got their 100s which they worked hard for. Game over,” Shamsi posted on X.

In response, Steyn expressed a contrasting viewpoint, suggesting the Indian batters prioritised personal milestones over the spirit of the game.

“Shamo, this onion has many layers to it, and each one will make someone cry. The only issue I see here is the one thing people aren’t realizing — the batters weren’t playing for 100s, they were batting for a DRAW. That was the goal,” Steyn replied.

“Draw the game. Once that was accomplished, and a result was out of the question, a handshake was offered. That’s the gentlemanly thing to do, right? It’s not then the time to realize they’re safe and say, ‘No, we’d prefer some free milestones.’ Although within the rules, it just seems a little... well, odd," he continued. "That said, they did bat well, and maybe with the last hour approaching, they should have been more aggressive in reaching those milestones. At least then, we could all agree no team tried to outdo the other in this weird situation.”

For the unversed, the draw meant England continue to lead the five-match series 2-1, with the final match scheduled to be played at The Oval in London from July 31.