As India prepare for a crucial fourth Test of Anderson-Tendulkar trophy at Old Trafford, Manchester, starting on Wednesday, captain Shubman Gill has reignited the spirit-of-cricket debate by calling out England's time-wasting tactics during the tense final moments of Day 3 at Lord's.
While both teams have traded blows on and off the field in an increasingly feisty series, Gill made it clear that India took exception to how the home side manipulated the clock that evening.
Gill: "They Were 90 Seconds Late"
"A lot of people have been talking about it, so let me just clear the air once and for all," Gill said at the pre-match press conference. "The English batsmen on that day, they had seven minutes of play left. They were 90 seconds late to come to the pitch. Not 10, not 20. Ninety seconds late."
Though Gill acknowledged that teams often try to reduce the overs faced late in the day, he stressed that there was a line that had been crossed. “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.”
His issue, Gill explained, wasn’t with Zak Crawley getting medical attention after being struck on the glove by Jasprit Bumrah. “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.”
The moment triggered heated exchanges between the two teams. India amped up the chatter in the middle, and England responded in kind during the final innings.
Cameras even caught England coach Brendon McCullum urging his players from the Lord's balcony to raise the verbal heat when Washington Sundar came out to bat—perhaps a reaction to Washington's confident press comments about winning the Test "comfortably".
Gill admitted the emotions did spill over. "Just leading up to that event, a lot of things that we thought should not have happened had happened. 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."
Akash Deep Ruled Out With Injury
India will be looking to channel those emotions into a strong performance at Old Trafford, especially with the series on the line. Gill confirmed that pacer Akash Deep has not recovered from the groin injury he picked up at Lord’s and will miss the Test.
With Nitish Kumar Reddy already ruled out of the series due to a knee injury, the fast-bowling resources are thinning. The decision for the final pace slot is now between the uncapped Anshul Kamboj and the more experienced but inconsistent Prasidh Krishna.
Kamboj 'Very Close' To Debut
"He [Kamboj] is very close to making his debut," Gill said. "We're going to see tomorrow between him and Prasidh as to who's going to make it to the XI." Kamboj, known for his seam movement and explosive lower-order hitting, offers a like-for-like replacement for Akash.
"The kind of skillset that he brings to the table is exactly what we want in this team and he's there because we believe that he can win us the match," Gill added.
If the pitch aids seamers, Washington Sundar may make way for Shardul Thakur. B Sai Sudharsan is also in line for a return to the XI to fill Reddy’s spot, which could result in a reshuffle of the batting order, with questions hanging over where Karun Nair fits in.
Karun Nair To Get Another Chance
Gill threw his weight behind the experienced but out-of-form middle-order batter. "We think Karun is batting well… Once you're able to make your fifty, then you're able to get back into your zone and get some big runs. Unfortunately that hasn't happened for him so far, but we are hopeful that he will be able to turn it around."
As for Rishabh Pant, who grimaced through pain at Lord’s after a finger injury, Gill confirmed the keeper-batter is good to go behind the stumps again.
The weather in Manchester is likely to be a factor, with rain predicted on the first two days and conditions that could favour seam. “When I saw the wicket yesterday, it didn't look that damp,” Gill said.
“But obviously now having to look at the weather, I don't think there is much chance for the wicket to dry that moisture out. So I think there will be a little bit more for the bowlers. And generally at this venue, it's a little bit quicker than the other venues we have seen.”
India are trailing 1-2 in the series, and the fire of Lord’s may just fuel their bid to level it. With Gill leading the charge, Bumrah in the side, and Old Trafford promising bounce, tempers may simmer—but the cricket could once again be unforgettable.
