Team India secured a hard-fought draw in the fourth test match of the Anderson Tendulkar Trophy 2025 at Old Trafford, Manchester. This keeps them alive in the five-match test series with the decider clash set to commence on July 31 (Thursday) at the Kia Oval, London. However, England still leads the red-ball series by a 2-1 scoreline.
In response to India’s first-innings total of 358, England came back with their Bazball approach and delivered a stronger performance, posting a mammoth total of 669 in their first innings. This allowed Ben Stokes and his men to take a competitive lead by 311 runs.
It is to be noted that India batted more than five sessions (from Day 04 onwards) to overcome their trail by 311 runs and additionally take a 114-run lead to pull off an outstanding draw. Thanks to the fabulous centuries from Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar, as well as KL Rahul’s gritty 90-run knock.
Ben Stokes: The Only Bowler in the Match With a 5-Wicket Haul
A 5-wicket haul from England skipper Ben Stokes (5/72 in 24 overs) ended India’s innings at 358 runs in 114.1 overs, despite the brilliant fifties from Yashasvi Jaiswal (58 runs), Sai Sudharsan (61 runs), and Rishabh Pant (54 runs). It is to be noted that he was the only bowler in the entire match to claim a 5-fer.
England’s Strong Batting Performance That Scared Indian Bowlers
Ravindra Jadeja (4/143 in 37.1 overs), Jasprit Bumrah (2/112 in 33 overs), and Washington Sundar (2/107 in 28 overs) made noteworthy contributions, but it wasn’t enough to tame the aggressive batting line-up of England.
The following individual scores highlight how the English batters ripped apart India’s bowling attack with their Bazball style to compile a 669-run total in their first innings in just 157.1 overs:
| England Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
| Joe Root | 150 | 248 | 14 | 0 | 60.48 |
| Ben Stokes | 141 | 198 | 11 | 3 | 71.21 |
| Ben Duckett | 94 | 100 | 13 | 0 | 94.00 |
| Zak Crawley | 84 | 113 | 13 | 1 | 74.34 |
| Brydon Carse | 47 | 54 | 3 | 2 | 87.04 |
India’s Disastrous Start to Their Second Innings
A 20-minute period before lunch on Day 04 glimpsed India’s second innings starting on a horrific note. Ben Stokes, after taking a 5-wicket haul and scoring his 14th test century, returned with much confidence. He claimed the crucial wickets of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan in consecutive balls of the first over during India’s innings.
With 7 more wickets in hand (excluding the injured Rishabh Pant), it was a daunting task for the Shubman Gill-led side to avoid a 311-run shortfall.
Gill and Rahul Revive India’s Second Innings
A 188-run partnership between Rahul and Gill steadied India’s innings after a collapsing start of 0/2 after the first over.
Shubman Gill, who had a poor run in the Lord’s test, bounced back stronger to continue with his peak form on English soil and registered his 9th test century, scoring 103 runs from 238 balls (including 12 fours) at a strike rate of 43.29.
On the other hand, Ben Stokes once again came back to action to dismiss KL Rahul in the 71st over. Unfortunately, the Indian opener missed his 11th test century by just 10 runs and departed after scoring 90 runs from 230 balls (including 8 fours).
A 203-Run Partnership Between Sundar and Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja’s 107 runs from 185 balls (including 13 fours and 1 six) and Washington Sundar’s maiden test century of 101 runs from 206 balls (including 9 fours and 1 six) gave a tough fight against the English bowlers.
The duo of left-handed batters remained unbeaten till the end and ensured to save India from getting trapped under the jaws of defeat.
Dropped Catches That Turned a Winning Moment into a Draw for England
The dropped catches of these two in-form Indian batters proved too costly for England in the following ways:
| Indian Batter | Chances Missed by England Fielders | Indian Batter Overall Score |
| Shubman Gill | Dropped on 46 by Dawson and on 81 by Pope | 103 Runs |
| Ravindra Jadeja | Dropped on 0 by Joe Root | 107 Runs (Not Out) |
These missed opportunities left the England bowlers struggling to grab wickets in the crucial moments and converted their higher chances of winning into a draw.
Team Winnings in Tests After Winning Toss and Bowling First at Old Trafford
Surprisingly, no team ever managed to win a test match at Old Trafford after winning the toss and opting to bowl first. In other words, the toss-winning teams after bowling first have recorded 9 draws and 3 defeats so far, updated till the recent outcome of the fourth test match between England and India.
Final Opinion: A Draw Match Boon or Bane for India?
India escaped facing a defeat by achieving a draw, but they still trail the 5-match test series by 1-2, and this isn’t a boon for the Shubman Gill-led side.
Even though they managed to stay alive in the contest for the series decider test at Old Trafford, a win would help them draw the series 2-2. So, this shatters the hopes of the visitors to clinch a test series on English soil after 2007 under Gill’s captaincy.
Moreover, this is the 6th draw for India out of 10 matches played at Old Trafford, which means that their winless streak in tests continues in Manchester.
On the other side, England aims to avoid a defeat or draw in the forthcoming game to secure a test series win at their home.