Cricket fans, brace yourselves—because the battle between England and India just got personal.
What was already a fiercely competitive Test series has now exploded into a war of words, and it’s all kicking off right before the fourth Test in Manchester.
Shubman Gill Fires Shots Over England’s Tactics at Lord’s
India’s captain Shubman Gill has reignited tensions by accusing England of acting against the “spirit of the game” during the drama-filled third Test at Lord’s.
His gripe? That England’s openers, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, deliberately wasted time to prevent one final over being bowled late on day three.
According to Gill, the duo turned up at the crease 90 seconds late, just enough to cut short India’s chances of snatching another wicket before stumps.
While most observers agreed Crawley was stretching the rules a bit, Gill’s decision to bring it all up 10 days later—right before a pivotal Test—feels more like throwing fuel on an already blazing fire.
England Say They’re Not Backing Down
Ben Stokes and his side haven’t taken too kindly to the criticism.
Stokes didn’t miss a beat when he made it clear England won’t be pushed around, saying: “We won’t let any opposition try to be confrontational towards us and not try to give a bit back.”
England’s dressing room seems to have undergone a transformation—from the carefree Bazball attitude to a more serious, competitive edge.
They’ve made a conscious decision to stop being “nice,” and everyone’s on board.
Double Standards? England Point Fingers Back at India
But here’s the twist—England’s not taking the accusations lying down.
They’ve pointed out that Gill himself wasn’t exactly squeaky clean at Lord’s either.
On day two, he took a notably long massage out on the field—another form of subtle time-wasting.
And it didn’t stop there. India’s Mohammed Siraj got fined by the ICC for screaming in Duckett’s face after a wicket.
Nitish Kumar Reddy also made an aggressive beeline toward Crawley before celebrating with his teammates.
Then there was Akash Deep’s overly theatrical delay tactics on the fourth evening. So much for the moral high ground.
England Remembers the Bairstow Drama All Too Well
Ironically, England themselves have often been mocked for clinging to the “spirit of the game,” especially after the infamous 2023 Ashes Test when Jonny Bairstow was controversially run out.
So now, being on the receiving end of that same argument seems a bit rich—and they’re not letting it slide.
Stokes Still Refusing to Sign ICC Forms Over Over-Rate Dispute
The fireworks don’t stop at time-wasting.
Ben Stokes is still refusing to sign the official captain’s paperwork after each match due to an ongoing dispute with the ICC over over-rate penalties.
At Lord’s, England were docked two points despite their efforts, and Stokes isn’t having it.
His argument is pretty straightforward: seam-heavy teams like England simply can’t keep up with the over-rates of spin-heavy sides, especially when modern-day batting features aggressive scoring and more time spent chasing balls in the field.
England’s World Test Championship Hopes on the Line
This disagreement with the ICC has bigger implications.
England are in danger of missing out on a World Test Championship final for the fourth time running.
Considering they’ll be hosting the next three finals, it’s starting to look downright careless if they can’t even make it to one.
Stokes and his team can’t afford another slip-up in Manchester.
A loss would leave their WTC campaign in tatters, with no one to blame but themselves.
All Eyes Now on Old Trafford
As the two sides prepare for the fourth Test, one thing is clear: this isn’t just cricket anymore—it’s a full-blown psychological showdown.
Between the accusations, counter-accusations, fines, and tactical jabs, this series has become one of the most fiery in recent memory.
And with the scoreline poised delicately, expect no love lost in Manchester.
Both sides are desperate—India to level the series, and England to seal it with one game to spare.
