'Didn't Like His Acting' - Ex-England star compares Shubman Gill to Virat Kohli after heated exchange on day 3 of ENG vs IND 3rd Test

Shubman Gill, the captain of India, displayed a fierce attitude on Day 3 of the third Test at Lord's, when he accused the England opener Zak Crawley of wasting time. Crawley went down clutching his hand towards the end of the day, and Gill didn't like this and burst into the England batter's face and gave him some word action as well. The tense moment escalated, prompting Ben Duckett to step in and calm things down as tempers flared during the final over.

Reacting to the incident, former England batter Jonathan Trott offered sharp criticism of Gill’s behavior, drawing comparisons to ex-India captain Virat Kohli. In a chat with broadcaster JioStar, Trott said, “A little bit of gamesmanship—and for me, we don't know what went on when England was fielding, whether they were dishing it out. But I didn't like the acting from Shubman Gill. As a captain, you set the tone, and as I have said before, pointing fingers and getting confrontational feels reminiscent of a previous captain, who used to get in the opposition's face. That is not what the game should be about.”

Trott acknowledged the competitiveness of Test cricket but urged players, especially captains, to maintain composure. “I am all for being competitive and tough on the field, but sometimes you have got to rise above it,” he said. Still, the former England player admitted the drama adds spice to the contest: “That said, it certainly sets up a fascinating day tomorrow.”

Praise for Rahul and Pant; Warning Ahead of Day 4

Shifting focus to the cricketing action, Trott lauded KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant for their impressive performances in the first innings. “Just the way they put the bad balls away—it was impressive… they knew how to defend, played good, solid shots, and picked up singles when available. But the key was putting away the bad deliveries,” he noted, calling them quality players who know how to weather pressure.

Looking ahead to Day 4, Trott emphasized the importance of surviving the new ball spell from Jasprit Bumrah. “England will have to see off the new ball early… They must ensure Bumrah doesn't get into a rhythm—playing straight and tight will be key,” he warned. Trott noted the weather was expected to be fine and predicted a full day of high-stakes cricket, adding that England would need clear plans to counter some of the threats from India’s bowling attack.