The final hour of Day 3 of the Third Test between England and India at Lord's was filled with high drama, centering around England's Zak Crawley and India's captain, Shubman Gill. With England heading out to bat for their second innings late in the day, Crawley's delaying tactics to avoid playing more than one over before the close of play infuriated the Indian team, resulting in heated exchanges and reactions from former players.
India had just been bowled out for 387, matching England's first innings total. With only a short passage of play left before the close, Crawley's actions became a focal point. He repeatedly backed away from Jasprit Bumrah's bowling, complaining of movement behind the bowler's arm. Later, after being hit on the glove by a Bumrah delivery, Crawley called for the team physio. These delays, aimed at running down the clock, clearly frustrated Gill and the Indian team.
The stump mic picked up Gill's enraged response to Crawley's antics, with the India captain allegedly telling Crawley to "grow some f***ing balls". Gill's visible frustration led to a heated confrontation between the two players, with finger-pointing and involvement from other players like Ben Duckett. The Indian fielders sarcastically clapped at Crawley's delaying tactics. Sky Sports issued an on-air apology for the language picked up by the stump mic.
The incident has drawn varied reactions. Former England captain Michael Vaughan acknowledged Crawley's actions as "as good a piece of time-wasting as I've ever seen" but also noted India couldn't complain, pointing to Gill receiving a massage during England's fielding innings. However, Vaughan also appreciated the drama and excitement it added to the day's play. Former England bowler Steven Finn playfully described Crawley's approach as "proper s***housery," while Jonathan Trott, another former England batter, criticized Gill's conduct, stating that "as a captain, you set the tone" and that he didn't like the confrontational behavior.
KL Rahul dismissed Crawley's behavior as "theatrics," stating that everyone knew what was happening. England's team consultant Tim Southee responded to the criticism by pointing out earlier delays from India, saying he wasn't sure what the Indian's were complaining about when Gill was "lying down all the time taking a massage".
Despite the heated exchanges, the match is evenly poised. Crawley's tactics ensured that England only had to face one over before the end of the day, finishing on 2-0. The incident has added spice to an already gripping test match.
