The tension between India and England reached a boiling point at the end of Day 3 of the Lord's Test, with a heated exchange between Shubman Gill and Zak Crawley highlighting the drama. The incident stemmed from Crawley's perceived time-wasting tactics in the final over of the day, which prevented India from bowling their full quota of overs.
With only a few minutes remaining before stumps, England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett appeared to deliberately delay play, frustrating the Indian side. Crawley repeatedly pulled away from his stance while facing Jasprit Bumrah and called for the team physio after a delivery made minimal contact with his glove. These actions infuriated the Indian fielders, with Shubman Gill leading the charge.
Gill was visibly frustrated by what he saw as blatant time-wasting, and he made his feelings known to Crawley. The Indian captain was caught by the stump mic yelling, "Grow some f** balls," at Crawley. The comment prompted a heated exchange between the two players, with Ben Duckett also joining in. Sky Sports even issued an on-air apology for the language that was broadcast.
KL Rahul addressed the media after the day's play and acknowledged the tension surrounding the incident. While not explicitly condoning Gill's outburst, Rahul stated, "Two overs is a no-brainer with six minutes to go. But it was a bit of theatrics at the end. I know exactly what was going on; everyone knows exactly what was going on". He implied an understanding of Crawley's tactics, suggesting that any opening batter would have done the same in that situation. Rahul's comments suggest the Indian team felt Crawley's actions were unsportsmanlike.
England's bowling consultant, Tim Southee, downplayed the incident and suggested that India was being hypocritical, referencing instances where Indian players had also caused delays during the match. Southee quipped, "I'm not sure what they were complaining about when Gill was lying down getting a massage in the middle of the day yesterday". He added, "It's obviously part of the game. It's always exciting to see both sides animated towards the end and it was an exciting way to finish the day. It was good to see energy from both sides". When questioned about Crawley's condition, Southee responded, "He'll be assessed overnight. Hopefully he'll be alright to carry on tomorrow".
Former England captain Michael Vaughan said, "It's as good a piece of time-wasting as I've ever seen...India can't complain because yesterday Gill was down with the hamstring strain". Sir Alastair Cook added, "It's not the best look for cricket, but we'll all remember that. Everyone was absolutely enthralled by it and I think the series needed it".
The incident has sparked debate among cricket fans and experts, with some criticizing Crawley's time-wasting and others defending his right to use any means necessary to survive a difficult period of play. Similarly, opinions are divided on Gill's reaction, with some deeming it inappropriate and others viewing it as a passionate response to perceived gamesmanship.
