A video from the 2016-17 Rajkot Test between India and England has surfaced, showing how then-India captain Virat Kohli accepted England’s offer of a draw. The video has gone viral following India’s recent fourth Test triumph at Old Trafford in Manchester, where Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar declined a similar offer from Ben Stokes.
In Rajkot back in November 2016, England set India a tough goal of 310 runs with only 49 overs left on the last day. Wickets started to tumble, but Kohli, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Ravindra Jadeja managed to steady the ship for India, ending the day at 172 for 6. The England captain, Alastair Cook, offered a handshake to call the game a draw. Kohli, even though he was just one run from his fifty, accepted it.
Watch the video below:
My man was never obessed to personal milestones. He never looked for personal milestones ahead of the team. pic.twitter.com/ya7dAT1WSe
— Abhay (@abhiiiisays) July 28, 2025
Then in July 2025, India was on the back foot in the fourth Test, trailing by a huge 311 runs after England scored 669. The Indian batters had a wonderful fightback after a dismal beginning. There was a brilliant innings by Shubman Gill (103), KL Rahul (90), Ravindra Jadeja (107), and Washington Sundar (101). With the last day concluding with India scoring 386 for 4, the captain of the English team Stokes extends his hand, giving a draw to the game.
Ben Stokes Prioritizes Bowlers’ Workload Over Pushing for Victory
However, Jadeja and Sundar declined, in contrast to 2016. The 90-year-old couple sought to reach personal milestones while also capping off India’s resurgence on a high note. Their decision disappointed the English team. Following that, Ben Stokes passed the ball to part-timer Harry Brook. Jadeja smashed a big six to achieve his hundred, and Sundar quickly added his first Test ton. Despite his initial disappointment, Stokes later complimented the Indian partnership. He cited a busy schedule and concerns about his frontline bowlers as reasons for offering the draw.
“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. “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.”
Ben Stokes
