- July 14, 2025
Another day and another spicy chapter in the England-India Test series – Lord’s was showing off a bit of theatre and cricket. What originally should have been a benficial conclusion to a well-fought Test Match (and Day 3), spiralled into a mix of good old mind games and a bit of sarcastic fall out with a hint of ‘you did it first!’ finger pointing led by Tim Southee calling out Shubman Gill for a surprising level of double standards after a tense finish that, while irritating everyone else, seemed to irritate the players equally.
When Theatrics Meet Tactics: The Crawley-Gill Flashpoint
It all kicked off when Zak Crawley twice pulled away just as Jasprit Bumrah was charging in, causing India’s skipper Shubman Gill to lose his cool. The cameras caught it all — Gill, fired up and lip-syncing some unprintable in Crawley’s direction, his patience worn thin. Moments later, Crawley jarred his finger and called for the physio, only for the Indian players to gather around with sarcastic applause, clearly unimpressed.
It was beyond irritation – India was chasing a wicket with fading light, and Crawley’s time-wasting, whether it was intended or not, was frittering away that opportunity when it mattered in a tense finish. But Tim Southee – a full-time coach now, not a player – he didn’t have time for all of that outrage. His comments were pretty cutting: what were they whining about when Gill was lying down getting a message on Day 2?
Fair point or just convenient whataboutism? It’s part of the mind games that spice up a Test series, especially when the finish line is still blurry. For India, though, the optics of Crawley’s delay felt like a tactical ploy — and they weren’t wrong to feel miffed.
The Fine Line Between Gamesmanship and Hypocrisy
Let’s keep it real — both sides have all milked the clock to some extent. Crawley’s finger injury and the amount of time wasted on that stoppage may have been legitimate, but the timing of everything did feel a bit too convenient for India’s liking. But Southee wasn’t incorrect to point out that Gill himself, while batting just a day before, had treatment on the field.
This isn’t exclusive to India or England. Modern cricket, mainly in Tests, is as much about the mental edge as it is about runs and wickets. Sledging, time wasting, and medical time-outs are all subtle tactics that can help a team gain a psychological advantage and upset the opposition. The issue is that players will call a foul only when it is the other side doing it.
Rahul’s Perspective: It’s Just Part of the Game
Despite the abuse and joking boundaries, KL Rahul’s comments were the voice of reason, as an opener himself, Rahul understood why Crawley would need to reset and rethink. “Everyone knows exactly what was happening,” he said with a knowing smile, suggesting this is part of the accepted unwritten rules of cricket.
His take added a cool-headed twist to the whole exchange, like a calm voice cutting through all the noise. India wanted two overs but only got one; England’s cheeky but clever reach can be seen as fair play. The fact that Rahul chose to accept it shows familiarity and respect are ingrained between experienced cricketers, and these blokes’ instincts for natural survival are to be admired.
The series continues – one thing is for certain, the cricket is spicy and the banter is spicier. And hey, would you want it any other way? What do you think – fair play or poor sportsmanship? Leave a comment!
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