After registering his maiden Test century in a hard-fought draw at Old Trafford, India all-rounder Washington Sundar opened up about his memorable knock, revealing that his main focus was to bat through the entire final day—a clear directive from the dressing room.
Promoted to No. 5 for the first time in his Test career, Sundar walked in under pressure with India in a precarious position at 188/3 following the dismissal of KL Rahul in the opening session. The left-hander showed remarkable composure, stitching together a 34-run stand with Shubman Gill, who notched up his fourth century of the series.
Gill’s dismissal sparked hopes of a breakthrough for England, but those hopes were soon dashed by a remarkable unbroken 203-run partnership between Sundar (101*) and Ravindra Jadeja (107*), which helped India bat out five sessions and secure an unlikely draw.
Happy to save the match: Sundar
Speaking to the broadcasters after the match, a visibly delighted Sundar said, “It feels very special. Honestly, it’s hard to put this into words because a Test hundred is something truly unique. Every century is important, but this one stands out. Batting at No. 5 for the first time, my only goal was to fight it out through the entire day. That was the clear message from the coach, and I’m just really happy we managed to save the match.”
Despite relentless pressure from Ben Stokes and his bowlers, India showed great resilience—especially after being 0/2 at one point in the game. While England still hold a lead in the series, the result in Manchester sets up a thrilling finale with India now having an opportunity to level the series.
“Our focus was to stay disciplined and give everything we had,” Sundar added. “To live through the moments we did today—especially to come away with a draw—feels amazing. The entire team played really well throughout the Test, and now all eyes are on the decider.”
The fifth and final Test, which will decide the outcome of the series, begins on July 31 at The Oval.
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