At the close of a simmering third day at Lord’s, Tim Southee accused Shubman Gill of double standards, as tempers frayed in the evening light. India’s captain Shubman Gill was drawn into a fiery moment with England opener Zak Crawley, fuming as Crawley twice pulled away from his stance with Jasprit Bumrah ready to bowl. The cameras lingered on Shubman Gill, mouthing expletives in Crawley’s direction, frustration spilling into full view.
Three days of cricket that often failed to match the red-hot temperatures it has been played in ended on Saturday with six minutes of rancour, Shubman Gill exhorting Zak Crawley to “grow some fucking balls”, and both sides accusing the other of time-wasting. The sudden outbreak of tension came in the day’s extraordinary conclusion, in which England’s openers used every tactic in their armoury to prevent India squeezing a second over into their brief spell in the field before stumps.
Shubman Gill tears into Zak Crawley for late evening drama at Lord’s on Day 3
The third day of the Lord’s Test ended in chaos and sarcasm as England opener Zak Crawley used every second possible to avoid facing a second over before stumps. But what truly lit up the post-match narrative was Tim Southee’s subtle jab at Indian skipper Shubman Gill — for complaining about time-wasting while having done something similar a day earlier.
With scores level at 387 apiece and six minutes left on the clock, India hoped to bowl two overs at the England openers before stumps. But Zak Crawley took his time — adjusting to sight screen issues and then claiming discomfort after a ball struck his glove, despite no visible damage. Jasprit Bumrah responded with sarcastic clapping, and Shubman Gill, fired up and vocal, could be heard telling Crawley to “be brave and bat.”
India captain Shubman Gill tore into England opener Zak Crawley in late drama at Lord’s on July 12. Zak Crawley, batting in England’s 2nd innings, tried to delay the proceedings in the final minutes of Day 3 at Lord’s. The India captain, Shubman, who wanted his pacers to bowl 2 overs in the low evening light noted Crawley’s delay tactics. Angry and unsatisfied, Shubman, walked up to the England opener and chimed in: grow some balls!
The unsavoury dig was made after Crawley continually tried to walk away when Jasprit Bumrah was bowling India’s first over of the 2nd innings. Two overs were scheduled to be played in England’s final innings on Day 3, but Crawley’s delay tactics meant that India could only bowl one over against England in the final moments of the game.
After walking away for a couple of balls, Crawley called in for the physio after getting hit on the gloves by Bumrah’s 5th ball of the over. The furious Indian team walked straight up to Crawley’s face and had several words to say.The crowd joined in on the drama and jeered the players at the end of yet another slow-moving day at Lord’s.
Mohammed Siraj and KL Rahul were two of the prominent players to hurl expletives at the English batters after they flirted with some dark arts to go unscathed on Day 4 of the 3rd Test match.
The events led to a heated altercation between England openers Crawley and Ben Duckett as the entire team surrounded the two men in the middle. Following the end of the day’s play, Tim Southee gave his take on the incident and said that it was good to see the energy from both teams at the end of the day’s play.
Tim Southee launches scathing attack on Shubman Gill
When Crawley called for the physio after jarring his finger off the fourth ball, India’s players walked over in unison, clapping, not in sympathy, but with a pointed sarcasm. England, through it all, managed to whittle the clock down. What looked like two overs for India at England’s openers became just one, with the home side even slashing a little time by arriving at the crease slowly.
Southee, now serving as a specialist skills coach, called out what he saw as hypocrisy, pointing to Gill himself receiving treatment for his back in the middle of Day 2.
“It’s always exciting to see both sides animated towards the end,” Southee said at the end of the day’s play.
“I’m not sure what they were complaining about when Shubman Gill was lying down getting a massage in the middle of the day yesterday. It’s obviously part of the game when you’re near the end of the day. It’s an exciting way to finish the day.”
Southee also dryly suggested that Crawley would be “assessed overnight” for his blow to the finger, before underlining that the series had been played in good spirits.
“Both sides have played some good cricket and in a good spirit, and tonight was just a bit of energy towards the end of the day,” he said.
“It’s been a long three days, and it was good to see the energy still there from both sides.”
The Test match is firmly hanging in the balance after both teams levelled their scores in the first innings. As the Lord’s Test heads into Day 4, the contest remains finely poised. But all eyes will be on whether Shubman Gill’s Indian side returns to the field with the same fiery intent — and if Zak Crawley finds himself on the receiving end of that intensity early in the first session.
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