Who said what - top 5 expert reactions to India pulling off stunning draw in ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test ft. Sunil Gavaskar

Team India pulled off one of their great escapes by avoiding a defeat, and settling for a draw against England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Manchester. The Men in Blue had run the hosts ragged in the second innings, completely dominating proceedings on Day 5 to keep the series alive with one match remaining.

After England slammed 669 runs in the first innings with a mammoth lead of 311 runs, not many gave India a chance to survive over five sessions of play. The odds of the visitors pulling through dipped even further after they were reduced to 0-2 by Chris Woakes in the first over itself.

After Shubman Gill and KL Rahul instilled hope with a crucial 188-run partnership to showcase that it is possible to hang on and earn a draw, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja followed up with an unbeaten partnership for the fifth wicket to guide the team to safety.

On that note, let us take a look at the top five expert reactions to India pulling off stunning draw in ENG vs IND 2025 4th Test.

#1 Sanjay Manjrekar

The former cricketer noted that surviving for a draw does not spare the team from the fact that a lot of their tactical calls backfired in the Test. Prior to the second innings fightback, Shubman Gill's captaincy and the team combination were slammed as the jaded bowling unit lacked potency and intensity.

"That India have got a draw, which is like a win, is a little dangerous. The same kind of tactics might prevail and tactics have been poor. They have a chance of leveling the series despite the poor tactics and poor team selection. That is my worry," Sanjay Manjrekar said on ESPN Cricinfo.

#2 Navjot Singh Sidhu

The former batter praised the Men in Blue for not only notching a hard-earned draw but also for wrecking England completely. The Ben Stokes-led side were left frustrated after bagging only four wickets in 143 overs in the second innings, losing an opportunity to seal the series with a game in hand.

"I feel India's batting has not just taken the game to a draw but has broken England psychologically. This is the biggest win. England showed a weakness of the mind and there is no bigger sin than this. That England which played bazball and dictated the terms of winning, they were begging for a draw," Navjot Singh Sidhu said on his YouTube channel.

"But India said we will send you for a leather hunt. Run a bit more. We can sacrifice individual performances but here those hundreds were a testament to the struggle and fight that Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, and even Shubman Gill to an extent, displayed," he added.

#3 Michael Vaughan

The former England captain noted how quickly the team in transition have adapted to the high-pressure situations, battling out when their backs are against the wall. The Shubman Gill-led side have arguably been one of the best Indian touring sides in England, often taking the opponent to the brink, while their losses have been rather narrow compared to the past.

"The pressure that these Indian players play with and the way they cope with it, it is remarkable for a young team. Already inside four games, I can see that Shubman Gill and the management, they have instilled a real kind of ethic of fighting right till the end," Vaughan said on Cricbuzz.

#4 Dinesh Karthik

The former wicket-keeper branded the Men in Blue's effort at Old Trafford as one of the best draws that the team have managed to muster. Fans and pundits had envisioned a series win for England after Shubman Gill and co. were reduced to 0-2 on Day 4, but they have fought their way back to remain alive ahead of the series finale.

"It's been beautiful to watch from an Indian point of view because this team is going to be around for sometime now. And a draw like this, when everything was against them, for them to comeback in this Test, after feeling like everything was done at 0/2, to leave it at 425/4 was quite astounding. It's one of the better draws India has seen," Dinesh Karthik said on Sky Sports.

"It is literally how India were so sure even around lunch that they could do something like this on a pitch which had so much in the morning session. Despite the conditions, they really fought and that attitude is going to keep them in good stead," he added.

#5 Sunil Gavaskar

The legendary opening batter revealed that he was proud of the fightback, and praised them for breaking down the England team completely, and making them eat their words.

"Satisfied? I am proud, I am enormously proud of this team for what they've done. Whatever the pitch might have been, good and flat, to stick around there under pressure and the question can be asked 'Did England bat too long?' before they declared," Gavaskar said on Sony Sports Network.

"Because when India gave England 600 runs to chase at Birmingham, some of the England players when they came out for the press conference later on said 'They were scared and that's why they gave us more than 600 runs'. I remember the England players saying while they were in India, 'Give us 600 runs, give us anything, we'll chase'," he added.