The fourth Test between India and England at Manchester ended in a draw, but not without a dose of drama and controversy. With the match heading toward a draw late on the final day, England skipper Ben Stokes and his team offered a handshake to end the game early.
But with Indian batters Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar approaching their respective centuries, they declined the offer and continued batting. Both players went on to reach their personal milestones before eventually shaking hands for the draw.
The incident quickly turned into a hot topic across the cricketing world. While many fans, former players, and analysts praised the Indian players for standing their ground and playing for their hundreds, some voices emerged in support of the England team’s decision to offer the handshake.
Amidst the debate, Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon has now entered the conversation — and he didn’t hold back. In a media interaction while speaking on behalf of Big Bash League franchise Melbourne Renegades, Lyon made a sarcastic remark that seemed aimed directly at the English side.
“Get them out. Don’t let them get a hundred,” Lyon said, referring to England’s inability to dismiss either Jadeja or Sundar late in the game. The remark was widely interpreted as a cheeky jab at the England bowlers, who failed to take wickets even after reducing India to 0/2 in their second innings.
Lyon’s comment also appeared to be a bit of Ashes mind games ahead of Australia’s Test series against England later this year, scheduled to begin in November 2025 in Australia.
The veteran spinner didn’t stop there. He went on to criticize the nature of the pitch at Old Trafford, suggesting that the Manchester Test lacked the kind of competition between bat and ball that fans expect from high-quality Test cricket.
“It’s always been a great competition between bat and ball and that’s the way Australia’s produced wickets like that… That’s the way cricket should be, you want to see competition between bat and ball,” Lyon said.
“I think that’s crucial, and all the fans, that’s what they want to see. They don’t really want to watch what happened over in Manchester last week,” he added.
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