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News18
3 hours ago
- Sport
- News18
How Handshake Became A Meme After Ben Stokes and England's Antics: The Internet Saga
Last Updated: The handshake offered by Ben Stokes and England to end the fourth Test was rejected by India. Then, the Internet united in mocking the English team. England were certain that an intimidating 669 they put up on the scoreboard in response to India's 358 at Old Trafford in Manchester would lead them to a series win over the visitors. And why not? India, in their second innings, had a horror start. After losing Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan inside the first over on Day 4 in their second outing and Rishabh Pant already out owing to a freak toe fracture injury, England sensed an imminent victory. But KL Rahul and India skipper Shubman Gill showed incredible fightback. The duo of KL and Gill put together an incredible partnership of 188 runs that uplifted the mood and confidence in the Indian camp. While KL departed for a 230-ball 90, Gill brought up his fourth century in the five-match series. The skipper posted 103 before he was undone by Jofra Archer. India, now at 222/4, still had the entire day, the final day, to bat it out for a draw. England, on the other hand, sensed a series-winning victory after removing the set batters Gill and KL. The determined pair of Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja were on a mission to save the match for the nation. The two brought up well-deserved tons. Jadeja scored an unbeaten 107 off 185, and his partner posted his maiden Test century. Sundar remained unbeaten on 101 off 206 balls. However, just before the final hour of play, England captain Ben Stokes offered a handshake in hopes of ending the game. India politely declined the offer, with Jadeja and Sundar both gunning for their hundreds after a long toil at work. Stokes and the rest of the clan were visibly unhappy, frustrated, and pale after being rejected for a handshake. The cricket fraternity was up in arms at England's poor sportsmanship display. Why deny the batters their well-deserved hundreds? Even England's former Test captain Sir Alastair Cook sided with the visiting side. 'It was the right decision for them to carry on for the momentum they'll get they gain from it. When you're out in the field, you've been out there for 140 overs, you get frustrated. So, there's a little bit of frustration for England, but I understand why India did it," Cook told BBC Sport. The Grade Cricketer The Australian writer-presenter duo of Sam Perry and Ian Higgins, aka The Grade Cricketer, led the mockery of the English team on the Internet. 'We can't get you out. Shame on you for batting. Shame on you. You're gonna bat, are you? You think that's right? Wow. You are gonna compete against us and do damage to us in a five-Test series? You think that's correct?" Fans widely shared their hilarious banter, collectively agreeing that England dreaded the prospect of the two left-handed batters achieving their respective milestones. Handshake Memes As for the Internet, they couldn't wrap around to what had unfolded on the pitch. 'The handshake drama reeks of bullying. I felt that Jadeja was so consumed by his job of batting India into a draw, that he couldn't even reply to their taunts properly. Full marks to him and Washington for avoiding such petulance. Jadeja is a legend in my book, (sic)" a user on X wrote. Ben Stokes , jadeja & handshake — memes_hallabol (@memes_hallabol) July 28, 2025 When Ben stokes offered to shake hands for a draw… — Bengaluru Betala (@gururaj_mj) July 27, 2025 In the coming season, I plan to offer a handshake to opposing batters whenever I feel tired in the the opposition team's innings, could become the next big thing in moral cricket. — Mohammad Isam (@Isam84) July 28, 2025 Ravichandran Ashwin, Kaif Drag England India players were much more assertive in their criticism of the England team. 'Have you heard the term double standards? They played your bowlers all day, batted you out and suddenly, when they're nearing hundreds, you want to walk off? Why should they?" Ravichandran Ashwin said on his YouTube channel. 'If I were the Indian captain, I would have played the entire 15 overs," he added. Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif in a sharp-worded condemnation said that he had lost all his respect for Ben Stokes. 'Ben Stokes has lost respect because of one moment when he wanted to stop the game," Kaif said in a clip on Instagram. 'Why would we want to do that? You weren't able to bowl out India, had nearly two days to do that. You weren't able to win. I don't understand what he was trying to do by getting the game to stop." India great Sunil Gavaskar did not mince any words either as he called out England and their 'grumpiness" top videos View all 'Everything cannot be done according to what the England team wants. This is yet another example of that old syndrome: when we do it, it's right; when the opposition does the same, it's wrong. Those days are long gone, and no one, least of all the Indian team, is going to simply accept it," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Sportstar. 'Towards the end of the Test, a few grumpy English players were unhappy that the batters at the crease…declined the offer to end the day's play…," Gavaskar wrote. About the Author Anurag Verma Anurag Verma, News Editor at works independently for the Viral section. Bollywood, Cricket, Science, Tech, YouTube, Reddit, Meme Origins and everything Pop-culture are his forte. He covers More Get Latest Updates on Movies, Breaking News On India, World, Live Cricket Scores, And Stock Market Updates. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Ben Stokes view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: July 29, 2025, 11:07 IST News explainers How Handshake Became A Meme After Ben Stokes and England's Antics: The Internet Saga Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
New Straits Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New Straits Times
KL drop coaching bombshell
KUALA LUMPUR: Just two weeks before the new Super League season kicks off, KL City have been rocked by a a dramatic fallout with their head coach Risto Vidakovic. Tensions have erupted behind the scenes, with KLFA president Syed Yazid Syed Omar revealing that the Serbian has threatened to walk out over matters he had previously agreed to. "He said if this continues, he's leaving. And if that happens, Fandi Ahmad (Singapore legend who helped KL win three consecutive Malaysia Cup titles as a player) will take over. We won't beg anyone to stay," Syed Yazid told Timesport in an exclusive interview. Vidakovic's discontent has not only puzzled the management, but also raised eyebrows in the dressing room. Vidakovic's attempt to stop the contract extension of KL captain and icon Paulo Josue has caused shock and confusion, with many questioning his motives. Another worrying issue is that KL's training sessions have reportedly been cut short, some lasting only 30 to 40 minutes, leading to serious concerns about the players' match readiness. "Even our players asked me, 'that's it? We're done training?' At this rate, we're not even 50 per cent fit. It's unacceptable," said Syed Yazid. In a recent media interview, Vidakovic also criticised the quality of KL's temporary training pitch — something Syed Yazid said had already been discussed when he signed on. "He knew that this was a temporary pitch. He agreed. Now it's being used as an excuse. We don't have a permanent ground, but to go out and say this when he had all the information is saying something," said Syed Yazid. Adding to the chaos is that KL won't be signing the foreign players previously linked to the club: Enzo Cora, Nicolao Cardoso, Madger Gomes, Gorka Larrucea and Dmytro Lytvyn. Vidakovic is also said to have apparently refused to honour the club's promise to promote nine Under-23 players to the senior team, opting instead to retain just two, including striker Haqimi Azim Rosli. "We gave these boys hope. It's not right to discard them now," said Syed Yazid. "If you're not here to develop talent and build a club identity, then you're not the right person." Syed Yazid has made it clear that he won't compromise on values, no matter who sits in the dugout.
NDTV
6 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
1000 And Counting: KL Rahul Becomes 2nd Indian Opener After Sunil Gavaskar To Script Historic Record
KL Rahul has now completed 1000 Test runs in England, becoming only the fifth Indian to do so after legends like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, Sunil Gavaskar, and Virat Kohli. With 1575 runs, Tendulkar is in first place, followed by Dravid (1376), Gavaskar (1152), and Kohli (1096). Now, Rahul joins this elite list, marking another solid milestone in his career. In 12 Tests in England, he has made four centuries and two fifties. His best score in England is 149. Rahul is the second Indian opener after Sunil Gavaskar to score over 1000 run in England. 1000-plus runs for Indian openers in away countries 1404 - Sunil Gavaskar in West Indies 1152 - Sunil Gavaskar in England 1001 - Sunil Gavaskar in Pakistan 1000* - KL Rahul in England With the series in favour of England by 2-1, India will have to play out of their skins to defy this equally competitive English unit. For that, it is important that KL absorbs all the pressure while opening the batting, makes the new ball old, and balances out his classy cover drives with some careful leaves. India have made a confident start in the fourth Test in Manchester, with both openers showing good control and composure in the early phase of the innings. KL has every chance to make this series his best-ever in Test statistically. His best Test series has been the 2016-17 series against Australia at home, with 393 runs in four matches and seven innings at an average of 65.50, with six fifties to his name and a best score of 90. However, he is one of India's most dependable batters outside Asia in spite of ups and downs in his form, as nine of his ten Test tonnes have come away from home. Most importantly, seven of his Test centuries have come in South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia (SENA) countries, with one century in Australia and two in South Africa. As a senior within the team, KL has served as a perfect link between the youngsters and the old generation. While critics rightfully bashed him earlier for losing momentum and runs with each passing Test match, KL has silenced them with his bat this time around, registering a fifty-plus score at least in every Test. He has been much more successful in ODIs, with 3,043 runs in 85 matches and 79 innings at an average of 49.08, a strike rate of 88.17, with seven centuries and 18 fifties. In T20Is, he is India's fourth-highest run-getter, with 2,265 runs in 72 matches and 68 innings at an average of 37.75 and a strike rate of almost 140, with two centuries and 22 fifties. However, he has not played T20Is since a disastrous T20 WC 2022 in Australia, as his scoring rate has at times looked outdated in comparison to a younger, fearless, and hard-hitting lot of T20I specialists in India.
The Hindu
20-07-2025
- Sport
- The Hindu
Opener K.L. Rahul on verge of completing 9,000 international runs for India
As the fourth Test against England at Manchester draws closer, a key point of attention will be the Indian opener KL Rahul, who has had a potentially career-defining series in England so far and stands just 60 runs away from completing 9,000 international runs. With the series in favour of England by 2-1, India will have to play out of their skins to defy this equally competitive English unit. For that, it is important that Rahul absorbs all the pressure while opening the batting, makes the new ball old, balances out his classy cover drives with some careful leaves. In his international career so far, Rahul has scored 8,940 runs in 218 matches in 254 innings at an average of 39.73, with 19 centuries and 58 fifties. His best score is 199. He is the 16th-highest run-getter for India in all-time lists. Despite his elite technique, composure and variety of shots, Tests has surprisingly been his least unsuccessful format, with 3,632 runs in 61 matches and 107 innings at an average of 35.26, with 10 centuries and 18 fifties, with a best score of 199. His inconsistency and consequent stagnation of batting average have come under scrutiny, to the point even KL admitted that looking at his batting average "hurts him". He has been much more successful in ODIs, with 3,043 runs in 85 matches and 79 innings at an average of 49.08, a strike rate of 88.17, with seven centuries and 18 fifties. In T20Is, he is India's fourth-highest run-getter, with 2,265 runs in 72 matches and 68 innings at an average of 37.75 and a strike rate of almost 140, with two centuries and 22 fifties. However, he has not played T20Is since a disastrous T20 WC 2022 in Australia, as his scoring rate has at times looked outdated in comparison to a younger, fearless and hard-hitting lot of T20I specialists in India. In the ongoing series, Rahul has scored 375 runs in three matches and six innings at an average of 62.50, with a best score of 137, two centuries and a fifty. He is the fourth-highest run-getter in the series. This series has greatly improved his batting average in England, taking it from the 30s to the early 40s. In 12 Tests in England, he has made 989 runs at an average of 41.20, with four centuries and two fifties in 24 innings. His best score in England is he is one of India's most dependable batters outside Asia in spite of ups and downs in his form, as nine of his ten Test tons have come away from home. Most importantly, seven of his Test centuries have come in South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia (SENA) countries, with a century in Australia and two in South Africa. With two matches remaining, Rahul has every chance to make this series his best-ever in Test statistically. His best Test series has been the 2016-17 series against Australia at home, with 393 runs in four matches and seven innings at an average of 65.50, with six fifties to his name and best score of far during this tour, KL has faced 670 balls, the fourth-highest by an Indian opener in England during a tour since 1990. With two more matches left, he has every chance to overtake his own tally of 735 deliveries during 2021 tour, Rohit Sharma's 866 deliveries faced during the same tour and Murali Vijay's all-time record of 1,054 balls back in 2014. As a senior within the team, Rahul has served as a perfect link between the youngsters and the old generation. While critics rightfully bashed him earlier for losing momentum and runs with each passing away Test match, Rahul has silenced them with his bat this time around, registering a fifty-plus score at least in every Test.
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Business Standard
18-07-2025
- Sport
- Business Standard
KL Rahul eyes elite list alongside Sachin, Dravid, Gavaskar in 4th Test
India batter KL Rahul will be aiming to join an elite list of Indian players with 1,000 or more Test runs in England as the fourth Test against the Three Lions in Manchester draws closer. The fourth Test match will kick off in Manchester from July 23 onwards. England leads the series 2-1. Ending up on the losing side at Lord's during the third Test despite his second century at the iconic venue, the dependable opener will be all fired up to continue his fine run in England and deliver a match-winning contribution. Currently, KL has 989 runs in 12 Tests and 24 innings in England, at an average of 41.20, with four centuries and two fifties. His best score is 149. Only Sachin Tendulkar (1,575 runs in 17 Tests and 30 innings at an average of 54.31, with four centuries and eight fifties), Rahul Dravid (1,376 runs in 13 Tests and 23 innings at an average of 68.80, with six centuries and four fifties), and Sunil Gavaskar (1,152 runs in 16 Tests and 28 innings at an average of 41.14, with two centuries and eight fifties) have scored 1,000 or more Test runs by an Indian in England and KL would be raring to become the fourth one. In three Tests and six innings so far, KL has scored 375 runs at an average of 62.50, with two centuries and a fifty, with a best score of 137. He is the fourth-highest run-getter in the series so far. India's Test squad for England series: Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav. England squad for fourth Test against India: Ben Stokes (capt), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
