Did Shubman Gill Just Slam England for Their On-Field Antics?

The tension wasn’t just limited to the field, as Gill later took a strong dig at the England team’s on-field behaviour during the post-match press conference. His comments hinted at clear frustration over England’s tactics and attitude. The fiery exchange added another chapter to this iconic rivalry. Here’s what happened during that dramatic day and what Gill had to say afterward.

Is Shubman Gill Calling Out England for Deliberate Delays on the Field?

After the third Test between India and England at Lord’s, tensions between the two sides came to the surface again, and India captain Shubman Gill did not hold back when asked about the controversial end to Day 3. What initially appeared to be a minor delay in resuming play has now become a topic of discussion ahead of the fourth Test, with both teams offering different sides of the story. On the third evening at Lord’s, only seven minutes of play remained after India’s innings ended. England were due to bat, but, according to Gill, their openers took more time than expected to walk out. He specifically pointed out that the batters arrived 90 seconds late.

Gill admitted that while most teams use time-management tactics in situations like these to reduce the number of overs, the delay in arriving at the crease was something he believed went against the spirit of the game. He made it clear that his issue wasn’t with Zak Crawley taking medical attention after being hit by a Jasprit Bumrah delivery, which is within the rules. It was with the time taken by the openers to appear at the crease. This incident was one of several flashpoints in what has been a tense series. After England began their chase in the fourth innings, India were visibly fired up and engaged in constant verbal exchanges. He said:

A lot of people have been talking about it, so let me just clear the air once and for all. Yes, most of the teams, they use this [tactic]. Even if we were in a position, we would’ve also liked to play lesser overs, but there’s a manner to do it. And we felt, yes, if you get hit on your body, the physios are allowed to come on and that is something that is fair. But to be able to come 90 seconds late on the crease is not something that I would think comes in the spirit of the game.

"They were 90 seconds late to come to the pitch. Not 10, not 20, 90 seconds late"

Shubman GIll questions whether England's conduct on the third evening at Lord's was against the spirit of the game 👀 pic.twitter.com/uCnsqCXDyP

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) July 22, 2025

England responded in kind, especially after Washington Sundar came to the crease. Their coach, Brendon McCullum, was seen on the Lord’s balcony, apparently instructing his players to increase their intensity. The background to this involved Sundar’s comment in the media a day earlier, where he seemed confident about India winning the game comfortably and something that may not have gone down well with the English camp. With this context, England has argued that India started the sledging and brought the heat onto themselves. When Gill was asked to clarify his comments a day before the fourth Test in Manchester, he chose to address the issue in full.

Without sounding overly critical, he pointed out the exact nature of the delay and suggested that while playing fewer overs at the end of a tiring day is a common strategy, the approach matters. He emphasized the importance of playing within the boundaries of the game’s spirit. Responding to these comments after the second day of the fourth Test, Zak Crawley offered a different view. He explained that he left the dressing room only after seeing the umpires walk out, a routine he usually follows, and didn’t realise any delay had taken place. According to him, if there was a delay, it wasn’t intentional. He added that he respects the match officials and never meant to breach any protocol. Meanwhile, on the field, Crawley and Duckett let their batting do the talking. Crawley added:

No, it wasn’t intentional. I sit in my spot until the umpires go out. I walked out when I saw them go. I wasn’t aware we were 90 seconds late, but fair enough. I love batting with him. He’s a phenomenal player. He scores effortlessly, today, almost a run-a-ball and that takes pressure off me. We communicate well in the middle, and with our left-right combo and height difference, I’m sure it’s tricky for bowlers when we’re both going.

Zak Crawley: I wasn’t aware that we were 90 seconds late at Lord’s. We sit in our spot till umpires go out. pic.twitter.com/FjQ1zv7WxV

— Sahil Malhotra (@Sahil_Malhotra1) July 24, 2025

On Day 2 at Old Trafford, they stitched together a powerful 166-run opening partnership. Both batters looked in complete control as they scored at a brisk pace, maintaining a run rate of over five an over. Duckett narrowly missed out on a century, scoring 94, while Crawley contributed a solid 84. Their partnership was only the fifth century stand between them in 53 innings, but it came at a crucial time in the series. Crawley praised his partner for his aggressive batting and said the dynamic between them makes it hard for bowlers to settle. Their contrasting styles and the left-right combination added more pressure on India’s bowling unit, putting the visitors on the back foot early in the innings.

Was Shubman Gill at Fault for the Way He Sledged England?

The third day of the third Test between India and England at Lord’s saw a fiery moment unfold in the final over, turning the match into a tense battle filled with emotions and pressure. It began when England opener Zak Crawley pulled away from his stance just as Jasprit Bumrah was about to deliver the ball. This move looked like an effort to break Bumrah’s rhythm, which had been troubling the English batters throughout the day. Shubman Gill, who was positioned in the slip cordon, reacted sharply to Crawley’s actions.

Unhappy with the delay and what the Indian team believed was a form of time-wasting, Gill walked up to Crawley and confronted him with anger. His frustration was visible on the field, and the moment quickly grabbed attention as the atmosphere grew more heated. As the over continued, Gill was seen making several comments towards the England batters, showing that the Indian players were not pleased with how things were being handled on the field. The tension between the teams was rising, and the final few deliveries of the day were filled with energy and aggression. Speaking after the day’s play, Gill shared his thoughts on what had happened. He said:

And just leading up to that event, a lot of things that we thought should not have happened had happened. And I wouldn’t say it was something that I’m very proud of, but there was a lead-up and build-up to that. It didn’t just come out of nowhere, and 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 involved, and when you see there are things happening that should not happen, sometimes the emotions come out of nowhere.

SHUBMAN GILL TO ZAK CRAWLEY. 🗣️

"Grow some FKing balls, Zak". pic.twitter.com/66UMujR8bb

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 12, 2025

He accepted that the way he reacted was not something he was particularly proud of. However, he also made it clear that the situation had built up over time. According to him, there were several moments leading to the incident that had irritated the Indian players. While he didn’t give exact details, it was clear that the team felt the opposition had crossed a line. Gill explained that in a competitive environment like Test cricket, where players give everything for their team, emotions can sometimes take over. When certain actions on the field are seen as unfair or unsporting, players may respond out of frustration in the heat of the moment.

How Ben Stokes Reacted to the Sledging During the Match?

Just like the Indian players, England skipper Ben Stokes had his say on the heated sledging during the third Test at Lord’s. He made it clear that England had no intention of initiating verbal battles on the field, but at the same time, they were not going to back down if things turned tense. The match had reached a boiling point on Day 3, especially during the final overs when emotions were running high. With England chasing the game and trying to gain control, there was naturally more energy and fire in their approach. Stokes said:

I don’t think it is one of those things where we will necessarily just go out and start it.I don’t think either team has really looked to do that, but there will always be a moment in a series where things just heat up. It is a massive series, there is pressure on both teams to go out and perform. The environment when you are out there, there is going to some moments, some heat showing [up]. Obviously that night when Zak and Ben [Duckett] had to go out there and start everything off, we had the advantage of bowling last in a Test match to win and threw everything at India, not only with our skills but also with our energy in the field as well.

🚨BEN STOKES ON SLEDGING IN THIS TEST SERIES Vs INDIA:

✨"Massive series, heat will be shown. Have England been nice? 'Potentially', adds they will not purposely start anything but will not take any backward step". (Sahil Malhotra).#ENGvsIND #ManchesterTest pic.twitter.com/Fo1TLBy8sT

— Rakesh yadav (@Yadavrakesh63) July 22, 2025

Stokes admitted that sledging was never part of a plan or strategy, but sometimes in the heat of battle, such things just happen. The pressure of a big Test series, with both teams desperate for control, meant that tensions could rise without warning. Stokes spoke about the moment when Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett walked out to bat late in the day, with India throwing everything at them. England knew they had the final innings to bowl, and their strategy included not just skill but also intensity in the field. That intensity included words. Though it wasn’t pre-planned, it felt like the right moment for England to show aggression, matching India’s energy. He further added:

Potentially. [But] it was a real nice moment as a team when you speak about something like that and then everyone buys into it. It is not something we are going to purposely go out and start in a game of cricket, that will take our focus off what we need to do out in the middle. But we are not going to take a backward step and let any opposition try and be confrontational towards us and not try to give a bit back. I think that goes for most teams, to be honest, so it is not like we are the only team who does that.

There were also reports that England coach Brendon McCullum had hinted that the team had been too soft in earlier games. Stokes acknowledged that there were discussions within the group about standing their ground and not letting the opposition dominate with their presence. He clarified that England wouldn’t start a verbal war on their own, but if it were confronted, they were ready to respond in kind. Stokes also mentioned the importance of not letting sledging distract the team from the main goal, playing good cricket. He made it clear that England wouldn’t allow themselves to get caught up in unnecessary fights but would also never shy away from standing up for themselves.