The India-England Test series has been rife with controversy, witnessing heated exchanges and on-field incidents that have caught the attention of fans and officials alike. During the first Test at Headingley, Rishabh Pant found himself in hot water with the International Cricket Council (ICC) for showing dissent towards an umpire's decision. Simultaneously, during the second Test at Edgbaston, Shubman Gill reportedly complained about Harry Brook's perceived time-wasting tactics.

Pant's issues arose during England's first innings on Day 3, when he contested the umpire's decision not to change the match ball. Pant was unhappy with the ball's condition after Harry Brook dispatched Mohammed Siraj for a boundary. Despite the umpire, Paul Reiffel, inspecting the ball with a gauge and finding no issues, Pant persisted in his appeal. Visibly frustrated, Pant threw the ball back onto the ground in front of the umpires, an action deemed a breach of Article 2.8 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which relates to "showing dissent at an Umpire's decision during an International Match".

The ICC officially reprimanded Pant for his behavior, handing him one demerit point, his first offense in 24 months. Match referee Richie Richardson proposed the charge, which Pant accepted without a formal hearing. The on-field umpires, Chris Gaffaney and Paul Reiffel, along with third umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid and fourth umpire Mike Burns, initiated the charges. A Level 1 breach of the ICC Code of Conduct carries a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and a maximum penalty of 50 percent of a player's match fee, and one or two demerit points. Accumulating four or more demerit points within two years can result in suspension, with two suspension points equating to a ban from one Test, two ODIs, or two T20Is.

Meanwhile, during the second Test at Edgbaston, tensions flared between India and England as Shubman Gill reportedly took issue with Harry Brook's approach at the crease. After India posted a formidable 587, built around Shubman Gill's impressive 269, England struggled in their reply. Pant, seemingly annoyed by Brook's slow approach, gestured and complained to the umpire about Brook taking an unusually long time to get ready between deliveries. Gill also appeared irritated by the delays and urged the umpires to intervene. Adding fuel to the fire, it was reported that Brook sledged Gill with a "triple century" taunt, which seemingly led to Gill's momentary loss of concentration and subsequent dismissal. Former England captain Mike Atherton, commentating at the time, clarified that Brook said, "290s is the hardest" before asking Gill, "How many triple centuries have you got?".