Follow UsIn the buildup to the Anderson-Tendulkar trophy, fans wondered that with no Virat Kohli in the series, the contest would lack the heat and intensity one is accustomed to see with the former Indian skipper involved in a Test game.
Moreover, there were lots of speculations around India lacking the ‘aura’ on the field, with the young skipper Shubman Gill having had a subdued presence on the field so far in his career.
However, the fans would be more than satisfied as far as drama and intensity from the Indians are concerned, as the temperature rose up comically in the last over of the play on Day 3 at Lord's.
With just six minutes left for the day to end when England began their batting in the third innings, the English openers walked down the Pavilion at Lord’s as slowly as a bride approaching the altar. They were trying their level best to ensure that they didn’t have to face more than one over.
Zak Crawley was on the crease, and he backed out before the third ball was bowled as he pointed out to some disturbance at the sight screen. However, the Indian players and especially Bumrah were absolutely riled up, and multiple players started throwing some curt verbal volleys at Crawley, who seemed unfazed till that stage.
Crawley did some more faux gardening with his bat after the fourth ball was bowled to ensure that this was the last over of the day. However, the Indian team’s and especially skipper Gill's patience was broken when Crawley asked for the physio to come check on his fingers after Bumrah smashed him on the glove with the fifth delivery.
Gill ran to Crawley and asked him to “grow some f***ing balls” and made a gesture with his hands to ensure the message wasn’t lost. He even got near him and made the impact substitute sign, mocking Crawley and his call to the physio, indicating that he felt Crawley was faking.
Others in the Indian team also gathered around Crawley and started clapping sarcastically. Soon, the other opener Ben Duckett was also involved in the kerfuffle, but the umpires intervened and the last ball of the over was bowled, which England saw off without any harm.
With this absolute shi*housery at the closing hours of play, the Test at Lord’s has really heated up, with the game equally poised at the moment. India would be really pumped to come back tomorrow and especially get Crawley’s wicket early, as this incident will surely get the English press going with their snarky takes.