New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) Former England cricketer Jonathan Trott, while sharing his perspective on the handshake controversy in the Manchester Test, highlighted both viewpoints and said that “England are probably a little frustrated” and the whole drama set things up nicely for the fifth and final Test to be spicy.

During the last drinks break of the final day of the fourth Test, England captain Ben Stokes proposed ending the match in a draw with a handshake. However, with Ravindra Jadeja batting on 89 and Washington Sundar on 80, approaching their well-deserved centuries, the Indian duo opted to continue batting until both players reached their individual milestones, leading to visible frustration from Stokes.

“I am not sure if it was necessary, but the common practice – certainly here in England – is that if you’re offered the opportunity to finish the game early, it’s usually more about the game situation than personal milestones. From Ben Stokes’ perspective, no personal milestone comes ahead of the team’s goal.

“In this case, India’s goal was to secure a draw, and they achieved that. So for England, the expectation was that India would shake hands and walk off with 80 not out – that would normally suffice. But I can also understand the other side,” Trott said on JioHotstar.

Sundar, who was batting at No. 5 for the first time, entered 90s with a pull off Joe Root for four, before Jadeja got his century and then smashed Brook over extra cover for four to bring up a 200-run partnership with Jadeja before a flick got him the two runs needed to raise his first Test century.

“For someone like Washington Sundar, who has batted so well, giving up the chance to score a debut hundred is not easy. You never know when another opportunity will come. So, I understand both viewpoints.

“England are probably a little frustrated, but that’s natural. What this does, though, is set things up nicely for the next Test. It’s going to be spicy, and I’m looking forward to it,” Trott added.

Speaking on England’s struggles with the ball, Trott noted that the hosts bowled 142 overs and managed just two wickets each on the final two days, which is a concern for England, especially with the Ashes coming up.

“England tried everything, didn’t they? They can’t say they didn’t give their best. But for me, the concern lies in the quality – and as an England fan and former player, with the Ashes coming up and this series on the line, it’s worrying.

“England bowled 142 overs and managed just two wickets on a Day 4 and 5 pitch where the ball was keeping low. Both wickets came in the first over. That’s slightly concerning because they had two bites at the new ball when India were under pressure, yet couldn’t capitalise,” he said.

Trott concluded by highlighting Sundar’s impact as a genuine all-rounder. “Looking at India, though, we’ve discovered another strong left-handed batter and a quality all-rounder in Washington Sundar – just 25-26 (years old). He can excel in both disciplines and looks like the heir apparent to Ravindra Jadeja whenever he decides to hang up his boots.

“Sundar has batted magnificently, and he seems capable of playing for a long time. This makes India’s selection tricky going forward, but it certainly makes the team a lot stronger,” said Trott.

–IANS

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