ENG vs IND | 'I think Ben was possibly a bit premature' - Ramprakash slams Stokes after handshake incident

‌Former England Test cricketer Mark Ramprakash slammed Ben Stokes and England after the controversial handshake moment during the fourth Test at Old Trafford in Manchester. The Three Lions continue to be criticised for their antics on the field, which have upset a lot of fans and experts.

The fourth Test seemed to go England’s way as the hosts dominated the first innings of the game with a massive lead of 311 runs. However, their hopes of a win were suddenly destroyed by two massive partnerships by the Indian batters, first including KL Rahul and Shubman Gill, and the other between Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar. Rahul and Gill added 188 runs off 421 balls for the third wicket after the side was down at 0/2, while Jadeja and Sundar were involved in an unbeaten association of 203 runs for the fifth wicket when the draw was finally agreed.

However, during the game, things got heated between the two sides as the England skipper went in for a handshake to stop the game as both Jadeja and Sundar were nearing well-deserved centuries. There was a lot of back and forth between the players, which was caught on the stump mic as well. 

“The stump microphone and words don’t reflect well on Ben Stokes’ team, who, let’s be fair, are doing a fantastic job of reinvigorating Test cricket. They are playing wonderfully well. The cricket has been on such high class that it is a shame to dwell on it,” Ramprakash told Sky Sports.

“I think Ben was possibly a bit premature going up (to the Indian batters) in the way he did. It has to be agreed by the opposition captain. India had one player, Washington Sundar, who hadn’t got a hundred before and I know that the England side like to not think about milestones but for that player, he may never get there again. It was quite a big moment for him. And equally for Jadeja to try and get another Test hundred. They kind of earned the right to stay on, I suppose, from their point of view,” the former Middlesex and Surrey batter added.

The teams will next be featuring in the fifth and final Test to be played at the Oval from July 31. England will go into the game with a 2-1 lead in hopes of claiming the series, while the visitors will be eyeing to draw the series with a win in London.