IND vs ENG – ‘Finger pointing and … ‘: Kevin Pietersen on Shubman Gill-Zak Crawley drama at Lord’s | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: High drama unfolded in the final moments of Day 3 of the third Test between India and England at Lord’s on Saturday, as tensions boiled over and emotions ran high under the fading evening light. With just minutes left in the day’s play, the Indian team took the field fired up, determined to squeeze in as many deliveries as possible to unsettle England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett.Jasprit Bumrah was handed the ball and tasked with breaking through early. He immediately went after Crawley with a mix of pace and variation. But after his second delivery, Bumrah appeared visibly frustrated—possibly suspecting Crawley of deliberately slowing the game down. As the pacer turned to begin his run-up, Crawley backed away from the crease, further aggravating the Indians.Stationed in the slips, captain Shubman Gill shouted something toward Crawley, and his teammates soon joined in. On the fifth ball of the over, Crawley took a blow on his glove and promptly called for the physio, removing the glove to inspect the damage.

The request was met with sarcastic applause from the Indian players. Gill even ran toward Crawley, gesturing animatedly in the direction of the pavilion. Words were exchanged between Crawley and the Indian captain, and Ben Duckett briefly stepped in, engaging in a heated conversation with Gill before play resumed.Bumrah responded with a sharp delivery to close out the day, ending a gripping final over that had just about everything—tension, drama, and needle.

While the incident drew criticism from sections of the English media and several former players, former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen threw his support behind the Indian skipper.“Test cricket needs needle,” Pietersen wrote on social media.“Finger pointing and a little bit of aggression is the perfect recipe to dish up an action-packed today and tomorrow. When tempers flare and actions boil over, it’s entertaining and I LOVE IT!”

With the five-match series finely poised at 1-1, the drama at Lord’s has only added more spice to what promises to be an explosive finale over the coming days.