Day 3 of the Lord’s Test between England and India concluded not with calm stumps, but with tension crackling across the ground. What should’ve been a routine final passage of play turned chaotic when Indian skipper Shubman Gill lost his temper over what he saw as deliberate time-wasting from England’s openers.
Shubman Gill’s fiery dig at Zak Crawley over stalling tactics stuns Lord’s crowd
After India were bowled out for 387, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett had to negotiate a tense 10-minute session. But Crawley, on the third ball, disrupted Jasprit Bumrah’s rhythm by backing away during his run-up, citing movement behind the bowler’s arm. Gill was furious and audibly shouted, “Grow some f**** balls,” from the slips. The situation escalated when Crawley was struck on the glove and called for the physio, prompting a heated exchange between the players. Duckett joined in, leading to finger-pointing and umpire intervention. Eventually, England’s openers successfully faced just six balls before stumps were called. The moment left a sour note on an otherwise competitive day. Gill’s anger reflected how crucial every moment is in this evenly-poised series.
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India grits it out to level scores amid middle-order steel and tail-end flair
Meanwhile, India showcased sheer resilience with the bat as they equalled England’s first-innings total of 387, setting the stage for a gripping final two days of the Test. KL Rahul continued his return to form with a superb century, while Rishabh Pant added 74 with calculated aggression despite nursing an injured finger. Their 141-run fourth-wicket stand provided India with a solid base, but both departed in quick succession before lunch, momentarily handing momentum back to England. Ravindra Jadeja, promoted to No. 6, stepped up once again with his third consecutive fifty, forming a critical partnership with young Nitish Kumar Reddy.
Reddy showed promise but was undone by a steep lifter from Ben Stokes after tea. Jadeja went after Joe Root’s part-time spin with a boundary and six before falling to a faint edge down the leg side. Tailender Akash Deep briefly thrilled the crowd by launching Archer for a six over deep fine-leg before being snapped up by Harry Brook off Brydon Carse. Bumrah was dismissed right after India tied the score, and Washington Sundar’s late cameo ended with another sharp catch from Brook. Despite not gaining a lead, India’s batting depth and composure under pressure once again mirrored England’s strength
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