Southee Accuses Gill of Hypocrisy Amid Tensions in Lord's Test Clash

Tensions Flare as Southee Questions Gill's Sportsmanship in Lord's Test

The third day of the India vs. England Test at Lord's ended with a heated exchange, as Tim Southee accused Shubman Gill of hypocrisy after an incident involving Zak Crawley.

Gill was unhappy with Crawley pulling away twice before a delivery from Bumrah in the first over of England's second innings © Getty

The drama unfolded when Crawley twice backed away as Jasprit Bumrah prepared to bowl during England's second innings. Gill's visible frustration led to an exchange of words, with cameras capturing the Indian captain expressing his displeasure.

Adding fuel to the fire, when Crawley subsequently called for the team physio after appearing to injure his finger, the Indian team responded with sarcastic applause. The England team further managed to eat into the remaining time, turning what should have been two overs into only one.

Southee, currently working with the England team as a specialist skills coach, criticized Gill's behavior, highlighting what he perceived as a double standard. He referenced an incident on Day 2 when Gill received on-field treatment for a back issue.

"It's always exciting to see both sides animated towards the end," Southee remarked. "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 sarcastically mentioned that Crawley's finger injury would be "assessed overnight," while maintaining that the series had generally been played in a positive spirit.

Rahul offered a different perspective, suggesting that he understood Crawley's actions from an opening batter's standpoint.

"What happened at the end is just part of the game now," Rahul stated. "I understand from an opening batter's point of view. I know exactly what was going on, and everyone knows exactly what was going on. But an opening batter will understand completely what happened in the last five minutes."

Rahul emphasized that the intensity of the India team wasn't solely dependent on the late-evening theatrics and that securing a wicket at the end of the day would have been a significant advantage.

"We wanted to bowl two overs. There were six minutes left. It is a no-brainer that any team will bowl two overs with six minutes to go, but it was a bit of theatrics at the end.

"We know how difficult it is for a batter to come to bat for two overs when you've been in the field all day. A wicket at the end of the day's play would've been perfect for us. Tomorrow, even without that, I think we would've been fired up anyway."