Virat Kohli dragged in Shubman Gill-Zak Crawley fight; aggression labelled Acting

India skipper Shubman Gill sparked controversy after an intense exchange with England opener Zak Crawley during the final over of Day 3 in the third Test at Lord’s. Former England batter Jonathan Trott called Gill’s animated response unnecessary and drew a comparison with former India captain Virat Kohli.

Tensions flared at the close of Day 3 (Saturday, July 12), with the third Test evenly poised after India matched England’s first-innings total of 387. Following the change of innings, England were asked to bat with around six minutes left in the day’s play. India aimed to bowl two overs at the openers before stumps.

Shubman Gill Does a Virat Kohli Amid Zak Crawley’s Tactics to Delay Proceedings

Jasprit Bumrah bowled the over before stumps. Zak Crawley frustrated the Indian side by repeatedly delaying proceedings, pulling away late, walking down the pitch, and checking his gloves. After being struck on the fingers by a Bumrah delivery, he called for the physio, further escalating tensions.

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Indian players reacted with mock applause, and Shubman Gill lost his cool. He pointed his finger at Crawley and shouted, “grow some f***ing balls.” Ben Duckett stepped in to defuse the situation. As the physio treated Crawley, the Indian slip cordon continued to express their displeasure.

The umpires called stumps with England at 2/0, ending a heated final phase of the day.

Shubman Gill & Co. didn’t come to be played around, 𝙠𝙮𝙪𝙣𝙠𝙞 𝙔𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙝𝙣𝙚 𝙣𝙖𝙝𝙞, 𝙨𝙞𝙠𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙖𝙮𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙞𝙣!#ENGvIND 👉 3rd TEST, DAY 4 | SUN 13th JULY, 2:30 PM | Streaming on JioHotstar pic.twitter.com/ix13r7vtja

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 12, 2025

Very Much Like a Previous Captain - Jonathan Trott on Shubman Gill

Jonathan Trott criticized Shubman Gill for his aggressive behavior towards Zak Crawley, stating that the India skipper had crossed the line. Trott compared Gill’s conduct to that of a “previous Indian captain,” hinting at Virat Kohli.

"A little bit of gamesmanship, but I think England, for me, we don't know what went on when England were fielding, whether they were dishing it out. I don't like the acting from Shubman Gill. I just think as a captain, you set the tone. As I've said before, pointing fingers and getting a little bit confrontational, very much like a previous captain, sort of getting in the face of the opposition," Trott said.

"And I just don't think that's what it's about. I think it sets a bad tone. And I'm up for being competitive and being tough on the field. I just think sometimes you've got to rise above it. But, it certainly sets up a nice day for tomorrow," he added.

They Wanted to Just Face One Over - Anil Kumble

Former India captain Anil Kumble said that England were reluctant to face even a single over before stumps, adding that Jofra Archer was disappointed after taking a wicket. Kumble added that the contest remains evenly balanced.

"At the end of 2 and a half Tests, exactly halfway through the series, there's nothing much to differentiate. And yes, you know, from an English point of view, they wanted to just face one over," Kumble said.

"Probably they didn't want to face a single over, but they ended up, because even Jofra Archer, when he got that wicket, was disappointed that he got a wicket. So, yes, in that sense, it'd be great to watch over the next two days," he added.

A total of 32 overs were lost due to slow over rates. Seven overs were lost on Day 1, followed by 15 and 10 overs on Days 2 and 3, respectively. This was despite match officials extending play by an additional 30 minutes each day in an attempt to make up for the delays.

Also read: Cheteshwar Pujara to ring iconic bell at Lord’s on Day 3 of IND vs ENG 3rd Test