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"Tamasha Is Part...": Shastri Defends Shubman Gill Amid Crawley Controversy At Lord's

Sakshi Sharma

Zak Crawley and Shubman Gill (Source:@umakanthrmettu,x.com)Zak Crawley and Shubman Gill (Source:@umakanthrmettu,x.com)

The final over of Day 3 in the third Test between India and England saw an unexpected flare-up as Zak Crawley and Indian skipper Shubman Gill exchanged heated words in a high-pressure situation, drawing strong reactions from both camps and former players.

 What Happened Between Shubman Gill & Zak Crawley?

With just one over left in the day, tensions ran high at the iconic Lord’s as England’s Zak Crawley twice pulled away just as Jasprit Bumrah was about to bowl, prompting visible frustration from the Indian fielders. The Indian captain, Shubman Gill, took exception to what he perceived as deliberate time-wasting and let his emotions show in a heated exchange with Crawley. 

The situation escalated further when Crawley appeared to injure his fingers while defending a sharp Bumrah delivery on the fourth ball of the over. The England physios were called onto the field, causing more delays and further irritating the Indian camp. The charged atmosphere turned the final over into a boiling point, adding a dramatic edge to what had been a grinding day of Test cricket.

Ravi Shastri Hits Back At Criticism

Reacting to the heated moment and criticism from England's bowling coach Tim Southee, former India head coach Ravi Shastri strongly defended Gill’s conduct. Appearing on Sky Cricket, Shastri said,

"If I were wearing the Indian hat, I would have done all that. We call that tamasha. All that is allowed and you want all that. You can't just have 'Good morning...good evening' and go home. A little bit of argy-bargy is okay as long as you don't cross the line," he said on Sky Cricket.

Shastri’s comments were seen as a sharp rebuttal to Southee, who had earlier called out Gill for 'double standards,' referencing the Indian skipper lying on the ground for a massage during Day 2 when India were batting.

Rahul's Ton Keeps India Level

Away from the drama, the cricket itself remained fiercely competitive. India matched England’s first-innings score of 387, thanks to a determined century from KL Rahul, his second at Lord’s. Rahul’s 100 off 177 balls was a masterclass in patience and shot selection on a surface that began to show signs of wear.

He was well-supported by Ravindra Jadeja and Rishabh Pant , whose innings added crucial middle-order runs and kept India in the fight.