Tensions flared at Lord’s at the end of Day 3 of the third Test between India and England, as the match reached a delicate phase after India drew level with England’s first-innings total.
With barely six minutes left in the day, India eyed two quick overs at the English openers. But Zak Crawley wasn’t in a hurry. The opener took his time — gardening the pitch, pulling out twice just before Jasprit Bumrah delivered — prompting clear signs of frustration from the Indian camp.
Shubman Gill, stationed in the slips, walked up to have a word with Crawley, which led to Ben Duckett stepping in. Before the fifth delivery, Crawley went down the track again, inviting sarcastic applause from close-in Indian fielders. The very next ball, Bumrah’s nip-backer struck Crawley on the fingers, and he immediately called for medical attention.
As the physio walked in, Gill charged toward Crawley and appeared to exchange heated words while pointing a finger at him. Crawley responded in kind. Duckett and Gill then got into a face-to-face exchange until KL Rahul intervened, helping to defuse the moment.
As Crawley walked back after the final ball — which beat his bat — Duckett shared a few more words with the Indians. This time, some smiles emerged, though Crawley had one last chat with Mohammed Siraj near the boundary.
Later on the JioCinema Hotstar studio, former England batter and current Afghanistan coach Jonathan Trott weighed in on the incident — subtly referencing Virat Kohli without naming him:
“As a captain, you set the tone. I didn’t like the acting from Shubman Gill — pointing fingers and being confrontational, very much like a previous captain we’ve seen. Being tough is fine, but sometimes you need to rise above it.”
Meanwhile, Anil Kumble, who led India during the infamous Monkeygate saga in Australia, played it cool:
“I haven’t seen Shubman so animated before. He even had a few words in the first innings.”
With two days to go, the series tied 1–1, and plenty of heat on the field, Day 4 promises fireworks — both with the bat and between the players.
