England captain Ben Stokes has addressed the controversy that erupted after he offered a handshake to signal a draw in the fourth Test at Old Trafford—while Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar were closing in on centuries, an offer India ultimately declined.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Stokes clarified he was prioritizing his frontline bowlers’ fitness with a tight schedule ahead. “As soon as … the draw was inevitable … I was never going to risk any of my frontline bowlers with the short turnaround … and the workload …”

He also praised the Indian duo’s match-saving partnership: “That partnership was massive … the 10 more runs … ain’t gonna change the fact that you’ve managed to get your team out of a very, very, very tricky situation.”

Stokes’s remarks came after Jadeja (107*) and Sundar (100*) staged a heroic stand, denying England victory. Despite the handshake offer, India held firm to reward their batsmen's fight.