Imagine touring England, reeling from a huge first‑innings deficit, facing two new balls in your chase, and with your entire season on the line. How do you respond?
- Can an unlikely duo rewrite what looked like a foregone conclusion?
- What happens when fire is put on ice by grit, patience, and absolute will?
Welcome to India’s Great Escape, the story of how, at Old Trafford (India Vs England Test Series 2025), Shubman Gill, Ravindra Jadeja, and Washington Sundar produced one of the most heroic last-day rescues in recent history.
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Here, we will highlight India’s heroic escape from a challenging situation in the 4th Test match with England.
England’s First‑Innings Domination
England piled on 669 in their first innings, their fifth‑highest Test total, leaving India staring at a colossal 311-run deficit. India’s bowlers offered little resistance, and the visitors began their second innings in a perilous position: 0 for 2, still 311 runs behind.
Even the typically calm Rishabh Pant was taken off in an ambulance cart earlier in the match with a foot injury, forcing Jadeja into the XI, a further blow to India’s depth at crucial time.
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Recommended reading: Duckett, Crawley Flatten India on Day Headlined by Pant’s Bravery during India Vs England Test Series
The Revival – Gill & Rahul’s Marathon Rescue
Enter Shubman Gill (the Indian captain) and KL Rahul. From 0/2, the pair crafted a defiant third‑wicket stand of 174 runs, batting through over 62 overs to take India into Day 5 with realistic hope. They ended Day 4 unbeaten at 174/2, still trailing by roughly 137 runs.
Gill’s composure was particularly remarkable. Battered on the helmet and hand by Stokes yet unfazed, he reached his fourth century of the series. He joined an elite group, only the third captain in Test history to hit four centuries in one Test series, alongside legends like Bradman and Gavaskar. He scored 103 with 228 balls. His performance strengthened Team India’s mentality rather than numerically.
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The Turning Point: Archer Strikes, but India Stays Alive
Just before lunch on the final day, Jofra Archer claimed Gill’s wicket (caught off a soft outside-edge), bringing India back under pressure at 223/4, still trailing by 88 runs. Immediately after, Jadeja was dropped by Joe Root as he walked in, but the heavens opened for India here.
With the top order gone, England smelled victory. They needed just a few more breakthroughs.
Scene Four: Jadeja & Sundar: Warriors in the Middle
What followed was nothing short of historic. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, the lower-middle order duo, batted England out of the game. Jadeja’s ton came in his 47th Test innings, come with a series of impressive scores beforehand, including an 89 and 72*, demonstrating this was no coincidence.
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Sundar, stepping up in Pant’s absence, reached his maiden Test century in equally high-stakes conditions. Together they posted an unbroken 202‑run partnership and batted through more than five sessions, ending the innings at 425/4, erasing a 311‑run deficit and frustrating England into a draw.
By tea, India had come within 11 runs of a lead at 322/4, with Jadeja and Sundar continuing to negate every attacking ploy launched by England’s bowlers.
Recommended reading: India Vs England 4th Test 2025: Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akash Deep, Arshdeep likely out of fourth Test; Kamboj called-up as cover
The Drama of the Pitch and English Frustration
The Old Trafford surface had started cracking under pressure. By Day 5 afternoon, the pitch had flattened, and England’s bowlers, led by Stokes and Archer, found little purchase. Fielding mistakes further compounded the frustration—Root’s drop of Jadeja just after lunch was brutally consequential.
Stokes, despite shoulder pain, had earlier removed Rahul, but was unable to clean up the tail. Archer’s wicket of Gill looked decisive, until Jadeja and Sundar refused to bend. As the day wore on and chances dried up, it became clear India had pulled off one of the most resilient escapes ever seen in Manchester.
Conclusion & Reflection
India closed at 425/4, having batted nearly 143 overs in that second innings. Jadeja, Shubman, and Sundar turned an almost certain defeat into a glorious draw. The final standing?
- England 669 & (no second innings)
- India 358 & 425/4
Shubman Gill’s four-hundred-plus, Jadeja’s all-round grit, and Sundar’s maiden ton became the defining chapters of India’s escape.
Closing Questions for the Audience
- Could England have done more tactically to prevent Jadeja and Sundar from getting set?
- Does this batting display prove India have the resilience to win the series away from home?
- Most importantly: how on earth do you quantify a draw that feels like a victory?
India’s Great Escape at Old Trafford will be remembered for years to come. A near-impossible situation was salvaged through belief, steadfast concentration, and a refusal to quit.
And when you are playing on MyChamp11, drawing inspiration from these innings can be your kind of fantasy winning edge. Here’s hoping you build a team that captures that same relentless fighting spirit.
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