India captain Shubman Gill has hit out at England’s time-wasting tactics during the tense third evening of the Lord’s Test, adding fuel to the already heated Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. Gill addressed the incident ahead of the Manchester Test, aiming to “clear the air” on the episode that limited Jasprit Bumrah to just one over in the final seven minutes of Day 3.
“Yes, a lot of people have been talking about it. So, let me just clear the air once and for all. The English batsmen on that day – they were 90 seconds late to the crease. Not 10, not 20 – 90 seconds late,” Gill said.
Visibly frustrated during the match, Gill clarified that his annoyance wasn’t with Zak Crawley’s call for medical attention, but the broader pattern of play.
“Yes, most teams try to delay overs when needed. Even we might have done it in that situation. But there’s a manner to do it. If you get hit, the physio is allowed. That’s fair. But coming out 90 seconds late isn’t in the spirit of the game,” he added.
Gill suggested that the flashpoint was the culmination of tensions already simmering in the series.
“There was a build-up to that moment. Things had happened which we felt shouldn’t have. It’s not something I’m proud of, but it didn’t come out of nowhere. You’re playing to win, emotions are high, and sometimes they spill over.”
England Responds with Sledging Strategy
The fiery conclusion to Day 3 bled into Day 5, with England visibly turning up the aggression. Head coach Brendon McCullum was seen encouraging players to sledge Washington Sundar, likely in response to his pre-match confidence about chasing down the target.
England batter Harry Brook later revealed that the team aimed to create an “11-v-2” scenario, heeding McCullum’s message that they had been “too nice.”
England captain Ben Stokes endorsed the shift in tone:
“It was a real nice moment when the team bought into that approach. We’re not going to purposely go out and start something that takes focus away, but we won’t take a backward step either.”
On whether the tension would carry into Manchester, Stokes said:
“I don’t think either team has looked to start anything, but in a big series, pressure brings out those heated moments. There’s going to be emotion, especially in such a high-stakes contest.”
Reflecting on the dramatic evening, Stokes added:
“That night when Zak and Ben [Duckett] walked out, we knew we had the advantage of bowling last. We threw everything at India – not just skill, but our energy and intensity too.”
