Subhayan Chakraborty
As the India-England fourth Test comes closer, tension between the two sides are at an all-time high. It follows the controversy during the third Test at Lord’s. India captain Shubman Gill felt England were guilty of breaching the “spirit of cricket” through time-wasting tactics that sparked heated exchanges and set the stage for a fiery end to the five-match series.
The flashpoint came late on Day 3 when England’s openers had to bat out the final seven minutes. India, having matched England’s first-innings total of 387, expected to bowl two overs. However, England’s Zak Crawley ensured only one over was bowled, withdrawing from his stance twice and calling the physio after minimal contact with a delivery from Jasprit Bumrah. This limited India to just six deliveries, frustrating them and leading to a heated exchange.
The incident culminated in an angry outburst from Gill, who was caught on a stump microphone swearing at Crawley, prompting an on-air apology from host broadcaster Sky Sports. England ultimately secured a thrilling 22-run victory, taking a 2-1 lead in the series.
Speaking on the eve of the fourth Test, Gill clarified India’s stance. “The English batsmen on that day had seven minutes of play left, they were 90 seconds late to come to the crease. Not 10, not 20, 90 seconds late. If we were in this position, we too would have liked to play fewer overs, but there’s a manner to do it. If you get hit on your body, the physios are allowed to come on, and that is fair. But to come 90 seconds late to the crease is not something that comes in the spirit of the game.”
Gill, in his first series as India’s Test captain, acknowledged his own lapse in composure but attributed it to the heat of the moment. “We had no intention of doing that whatsoever, but you’re playing a game, you’re playing to win, and there are a lot of emotions,” he said. “When you see there are things happening that should not happen, sometimes emotions come out of nowhere.”
England, meanwhile, seem to be feeding off the tension. Harry Brook suggested the flare-up has freed up the hosts “to not be the nice guys.” This shift in attitude was evident when paceman Jofra Archer gave an aggressive send-off to Rishabh Pant after dismissing him on the final day of the third Test.
England captain Ben Stokes, speaking before Gill on Tuesday, denied any deliberate intent to provoke India but made it clear his team would not back out of confrontations. “It’s not something we’re going to go out and purposefully look to start (an argument) because that will take our focus off what we need to do,” Stokes said. “But by no means are we going to take a backward step and let any opposition try and be confrontational towards us and not try to give a bit back.”
As the teams prepare for the fourth Test, the series is poised on a knife’s edge, with competitive fire and heated verbals threatening to overshadow the cricket. With England holding a 2-1 lead, India will be eager to level the series. The stage is set for a blockbuster at Old Trafford, where the “spirit of the game” will likely remain a topic of heated debate.
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