India captain Shubman Gill looked like a different person altogether as he charged as England batters looking to waste time at the end of Day 3 of the Lord’s Test.
Gill didn’t mince his words as he confronted England batter Zak Crawley for wasting time by faking an injury to his hand, with the situation prompting Ben Duckett to intervene. Seeing the last over turn into a high-tempered affair, former England batter Jonathan Trott took a brutal dig at Gill, saying his antics reminded him of another India captain, Virat Kohli.
Trott, in a chat with broadcaster JioStar, wasn’t happy seeing Gill hurl expletives at England batters, saying such actions see the sport lose a little bit of gamesmanship.
“A little bit of gamesmanship – and for me, we don’t know what went on when England were fielding, whether they were dishing it out. But I didn’t like the acting from Shubman Gill. As a captain, you set the tone, and as I have said before, pointing fingers and getting confrontational feels reminiscent of a previous captain, who used to get in the opposition’s face. That is not what the game should be about. I am all for being competitive and tough on the field, but sometimes you have got to rise above it. That said, it certainly sets up a fascinating day tomorrow.”
Trott also spoke highly of the batting performances of KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant, the two top scorers for India in the first innings.
“Just the way they put the bad balls away – it was impressive. At times, they were very watchful, especially when the England bowlers had their tails up. They knew how to defend, played good, solid shots, and picked up singles when available. But the key was putting away the bad deliveries. That is always the sign of quality players – surviving the tough spells and then putting pressure back on the opposition when there is a mistake. We certainly saw both, Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul, do that really well.”
With two days of play left in the match, Trott expects England to be ultra-cautious in the first session on Day 4, with the strategy against Bumrah expected to play a key role in defining the game.
“England will have to see off the new ball early. It is going to be a tough battle, and with the weather expected to stay clear, a full day’s play is likely. They must ensure Bumrah doesn’t get into a rhythm – playing straight and tight will be key. There was some swing on offer today, possibly due to the ball or the overhead conditions at Lord’s. Whatever India brings on Day 4, England need to have clear answers. After a long day in the field, recovery tonight will be crucial so they can come out strong tomorrow.”