Heated Moment

'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

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 12:33:26 GMT

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.

WATCH: Relive fight between Indian captain and England openers during closing over of ENG vs IND 3rd Test

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 00:36:25 GMT

Day 3 of the third Test between India and England on Saturday, July 12. At the end of the day, when the match was nearing its conclusion, English openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley seemed to intentionally delay their entry onto the field, taking two extra minutes to walk from the dressing room to the crease. Their casual approach, particularly under overcast skies favorable for bowlers, caused raised eyebrows among commentators and Indian players.

The drama intensified during the solitary over of England's second innings, bowled by Jasprit Bumrah. Zak Crawley disrupted the momentum several times—pulling out during delivery and calling for the physio following a blow on his finger. These strategies clearly frustrated Indian captain Shubman Gill, who was seen sledging the openers and exchanging heated words with Crawley. Former England captain Nasser Hussain also criticized the delay on-air, saying that England was clearly trying to face only one over before stumps.

This time-wasting strategy caused a fiery confrontation between Gill and the English openers. The Indian captain not only used abusive language but also made aggressive gestures toward Crawley while both teams left the field. With England finishing the day on 2/0 and having only a two-run lead after both teams had scored 387 runs in their first innings, tensions ran high with the series hanging in the balance.

Final-Over Drama: England’s Delay Sparks Heated Exchange with India

The on-field tension overshadowed what was a gripping day of Test cricket. India’s innings was highlighted by KL Rahul’s composed century, supported by Ravindra Jadeja’s 72 and Rishabh Pant’s explosive 74. Pant’s innings ended in a dramatic fashion—run out by a direct hit from Ben Stokes, which gave England some late momentum.

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THE FINAL OVER DRAMA BETWEEN INDIA AND ENGLAND.

- Sunday will be lethal at Lord's. 🔥pic.twitter.com/zGuoUvMN9e
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 12, 2025

England’s decision to seem to slow the game in fading light didn’t sit well with the Indian team, who were keen to exploit the conditions with Bumrah’s pace and swing. As Crawley and Duckett walked off under a storm of words from Gill, fans witnessed yet another dramatic chapter in what has been a fiercely contested Test series.

[WATCH] ENG vs IND 1st Test: Mohammad Siraj and Zak Crawley heated exchange at Headingley

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 19:53:10 GMT

High drama unfolded at Headingley on Day 5 of the first Test as tensions boiled over between Mohammed Siraj and England opener Zak Crawley in the final over before lunch. With India desperate for a breakthrough and England cruising in their record chase of 371, emotions ran high. Siraj, eager to finish his over quickly and give Jasprit Bumrah the opportunity to bowl the final over of the session, rushed back to his mark. But just as he was about to bowl the sixth delivery of the 30th over, Crawley backed away at the last moment, pointing to movement near the sight screen.

The delay disrupted Siraj’s rhythm and effectively denied Bumrah a chance to bowl before lunch. Frustrated, Siraj returned to deliver the ball, and after Crawley calmly defended it, the pacer charged down the pitch and got in the batter’s face. Heated words were exchanged as Ben Duckett stepped in to cool things down, but the verbal back-and-forth continued as the players walked off. Behind the stumps, Rishabh Pant was seen expressing his displeasure, and KL Rahul also had a word with the English openers. India’s irritation was further visible as captain Shubman Gill made multiple unsuccessful requests to change the worn-out ball, which the umpires declined after standard checks.

Meanwhile, England dominated the morning session, reaching 117 without loss in just 30 overs. Zak Crawley (42*) and Ben Duckett (64*) weathered India’s new-ball attack under lights and then opened up their scoring against the second-string bowlers. Their unbroken century stand not only frustrated India but also etched its name into the record books. Despite helpful conditions, India’s bowlers remained wicketless and visibly dejected heading into the break, as England kept their chase alive at an impressive scoring rate of nearly four an over.

England Rewrite Records at Headingley

The 117-run partnership between Duckett and Crawley became the highest fourth-innings opening stand at Headingley, surpassing the 112-run effort by New Zealand’s Sutcliffe and Scott in 1949. It was also England’s best fourth-innings opening stand since Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss’ 123-run effort in 2008.

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The intensity is sky-high as #TeamIndia’s bowlers are leaving it all out on the field!

Could this be the moment that sparks a wicket spree from @mdsirajofficial https://t.co/0K41uhrKJ5 pic.twitter.com/BtNs0CXpTQ
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) June 24, 2025

Headingley has historically been a ground where dramatic chases unfold. Of the last six Tests played here, four have seen successful chases of over 250 — three by England themselves, including memorable wins over Australia in 2019 and 2023, and New Zealand in 2022. With 254 more runs to get from 66 overs and all 10 wickets in hand, England are firmly in control unless India finds a spark or the weather intervenes.