The incident unfolded during Jasprit Bumrah’s first over of England’s second innings, as Zak Crawley disrupted play with multiple interruptions.
Table of Contents
Tempers Flare as Gill Clashes with Crawley in Final Moments of Day 3
Shubman Gill and Zak Crawley were at the center of controversy on Day 3 of the India vs England third Test at Lord’s. The altercation erupted when Crawley, opening England’s second innings, appeared to deliberately slow the game in the dying minutes before Stumps, prompting a fiery reaction from India’s young captain.
With six minutes left, Gill hoped his pacers could squeeze in two overs under fading light. However, Crawley’s tactics—taking time between deliveries and pulling out over sight screen concerns—left the Indian camp visibly irate. When Crawley pulled away before the third delivery of the over, Gill, standing at second slip, shouted, “Grow some f****** ba**s,” a comment caught on the stump mic. Jasprit Bumrah too showed frustration as he walked back to his mark.
The tension peaked when Crawley was struck on the glove by the fifth ball and immediately called for medical attention. The Indians responded with mocking slow claps. Gill approached Crawley with a mocking gesture toward the pavilion, sparking a verbal exchange. Crawley responded defiantly, forcing Ben Duckett to intervene and defuse the moment.
Virat Kohli fans need some help as they are missing him badly, it's so stupid to accuse Shubman Gill of copying him, Kohli must be proud of Gill and jumping on his sofa like a kid while watching all this drama, Man was really passionate for Test cricket 🔥pic.twitter.com/7B6gqB9dU9
— 𝐀 (@Aagneyax) July 12, 2025
Commenting on the Lord’s flare-up, former England batter Jonathan Trott expressed disapproval of Shubman Gill’s aggressive reaction, suggesting it resembled the confrontational style of a former India captain. “We don’t know what went on when England were fielding, whether they were dishing it out. But I don’t like the acting from Shubman Gill,” Trott said.
“As a captain, you set the tone. Pointing fingers and getting very confrontational—very much like a previous captain—getting in the face of the opposition. I’m all for being competitive and tough on the field, but sometimes you’ve got to rise above it,” he added. Trott, however, admitted the incident adds to the drama and “sets up nicely for tomorrow’s play.”
India Fight Back to Level Scores, England Start Cautiously
Day 3 witnessed India completing a strong comeback after being three down on Day 2. Responding to England’s 387, the visitors posted the exact same total, thanks to crucial knocks from Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul. However, just before Lunch, a mix-up led to Pant’s run out, providing England a much-needed breakthrough.
KL Rahul departed soon after the break, right after reaching his century. But India’s middle order stood firm, with Ravindra Jadeja scoring a gritty half-century and stitching valuable partnerships with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Washington Sundar. England reached 2/0 at Stumps, leading by two runs with all wickets intact.
