During the first day of the third Test between India and England at Lord's on Thursday, Mohammed Siraj engaged in some playful banter with Joe Root regarding England's "Bazball" approach to Test cricket.

The incident occurred during a period where England appeared to be adopting a more cautious strategy after lunch. After England won the toss and chose to bat, they lost two early wickets courtesy of Nitish Kumar Reddy. Following these dismissals, Joe Root and Ollie Pope steadied the ship, but their defensive approach seemed to frustrate the Indian bowlers.

Siraj, known for his energetic presence on the field, seized the opportunity to tease Root. A video captured by Sky Sports Cricket reveals Siraj's words: "Baz, Baz, Bazball. Now Play Bazball. I want to see,”. This remark was directed at Root after he missed a cut shot. The term "Bazball" refers to the aggressive and attacking style of Test cricket embraced by the England team under coach Brendon McCullum.

Indian captain Shubman Gill also joined in on the banter, reportedly saying, "Welcome to Boring Test Cricket,". These comments highlight the contrast between England's usual attacking mindset and their restrained approach in the face of accurate Indian bowling. In fact, Root and Pope played out 28 consecutive dot balls during one stretch.

England's scoring rate during the second session of the day was notably slow. Until the 46th over, their net run-rate was just 2.63, marking their slowest session since Brendon McCullum took over as head coach. While England managed to reach 85 for 2 at lunch, the Indian bowlers, particularly Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, maintained relentless pressure.

Commentators noted that England seemed to be curbing their "Bazball" instincts, opting for a more pragmatic approach in response to the challenging conditions at Lord's. Despite the pressure from India, Root reached his half-century. However, Ollie Pope was dismissed early in the third session, falling victim to Ravindra Jadeja.