La rivalidad termina con respeto a medida que los jugadores de la India-Inglaterra comparten bromas del vestuario

After five emotionally charged weeks of Test cricket, the India vs England series came to an end when a spirited Mohammed Siraj uprooted Gus Atkinson’s off-stump. Fascinatingly, the off-the-field story continued not with a wicket or a run, but with handshakes, back-pats and heartfelt exchanges.

The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy may have ended in a 2-2 draw, but it delivered something extraordinary. There was plenty of needle throughout the series. Tempers had flared during the Lord’s Test, where India accused England of time-wasting. Mohammed Siraj gave Ben Duckett a fiery send-off at The Oval.

Even India coach Gautam Gambhir was involved in a heated argument with the Oval groundstaff Lee Forties, who apparently denied Indian staff to come close to the pitch. But once the final ball was bowled, all the on-field angst melted away into moments of mutual admiration. As reported by The Indian Express, players from both camps came together post-match in a customary fashion.

Mutual admiration between India-England players

India’s players were seen going up to England’s Chris Woakes, who batted valiantly despite a dislocated shoulder, to applaud his courage. Woakes, in turn, was humble in defeat, admitting that he wished he could have pulled off a miracle at The Oval. England players also made it a point to check in on Rishabh Pant, who had been forced to bat with a fractured toe. These two acts were something that you get to see often. Out of the ordinary for sure.

The meeting also provided Indian batters a golden opportunity to pick the brains of legendary batter Joe Root, who became the second-highest run-getter in Test history in the series. Indian batters spent time speaking with the English veteran after the game. Mohammed Siraj, despite being one of the most animated characters on the field, was among the first to exchange smiles and hugs with his opponents in the dressing room corridor.