Shubman Gill Critiques England's Delaying Tactics in Lord's Test
Gill's Strong Words on Game Spirit
On Tuesday, Shubman Gill, the captain of the Indian cricket team, expressed his disapproval of the delaying tactics employed by the England openers towards the end of the third day of the Lord’s Test. He emphasized that arriving 90 seconds late to the crease does not align with the spirit of the game.
During a pre-match media session ahead of the fourth Test in Manchester, Gill addressed the ongoing tensions that arose during the third Test. This topic has been a focal point for the English media, who have been questioning players from both teams about the aggressive exchanges witnessed at Lord’s.
Gill stated, "Many have been discussing this, so let me clarify: the English batsmen had seven minutes of play remaining but arrived 90 seconds late to the crease. It wasn’t just a few seconds; it was a significant delay."
He acknowledged that while many teams might resort to such tactics, there is an appropriate way to manage the game. Gill remarked, "If a player is injured, it’s fair for physios to attend, but being 90 seconds late is not in the spirit of the game."
The incident escalated when Bumrah bowled the final over of day three, sarcastically applauding Crawley for his delay just before stumps. Tensions flared as Indian players exchanged words with Duckett at the other end.
In his debut series as Test captain, Gill was visibly passionate, urging Crawley to demonstrate courage. He reflected, "Leading up to that moment, several things occurred that shouldn’t have, and while I’m not proud of it, there was a buildup to that incident. It wasn’t spontaneous, and we had no intention of escalating it."
Gill added, "Cricket is a competitive sport filled with emotions. When you witness actions that are unacceptable, it’s natural for feelings to surface unexpectedly."
Just before Gill's press conference, England's captain Ben Stokes remarked that his team would not shy away from verbal exchanges with the Indian players.