Former England captain Nasser Hussain has praised the sportsmanship shown by Ravindra Jadeja and Ben Stokes after England’s narrow 22-run win over India in the third Test at Lord’s. While the match was filled with tension and intense moments, Hussain highlighted the post-match exchange between the two great all-rounders as a reminder of the true spirit of Test cricket.
“The two all-rounders in Stokes (Ben) and Jadeja (Ravindra) – two champion cricketers – neither of them deserved to be on the losing side in that Test match (at Lord’s). In the end it was Stokes and his team running off in celebration, and there were images and memories of 2005 Edgbaston, with Brett Lee down and Andrew Flintoff,” Hussain said on Sky Sports ahead of the fourth Test in Manchester.
The match featured several heated exchanges, including a confrontation between Shubman Gill and Zak Crawley, and a fired-up send-off from Mohammad Siraj to Ben Duckett. Yet, Hussain believes that the post-match respect shown by both teams made it all worthwhile.
“With all of the spice and aggression we saw in that Test match, it was lovely to see the England and Indian players embrace at the end. That is how Test cricket should be played. You go hard and go really at each other, but you also respect what the other side has put in,” he added.
With England leading the series 2-1, Shubman Gill and India will look to bounce back in the fourth Test at Old Trafford. Hussain expressed his excitement for the remainder of the series and reflected on the short break after Lord’s.
“With the drama of Lord’s, I think everyone needed the eight-day break… but then again, we didn’t need it, because it has been such an enthralling Test series. They go again,” he said.
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