Image Credit: BCCI
Shubman Gill Accuses England of Breaking Game Spirit
India’s Test captain Shubman Gill has criticised England for what he says was deliberate time-wasting during the third Test at Lord’s, calling it “not something that comes in the spirit of the game.”
“90 Seconds Late” to the Crease
Gill, reflecting on the tense final moments, said:
“A lot of people have been talking about it, so let me just clear the air once and for all. The English batsmen on that day had seven minutes of play left, they were 90 seconds late to come to the crease. Not 10, not 20 – 90 seconds late.”
He added:
“Yes, most teams use this… but there’s a manner to do it… to be able to come 90 seconds late to the crease is not something that comes in the spirit of the game.”
Emotions Boiling Over
Gill admitted he lost his calm in the heat of the moment. He said the outburst wasn’t planned but resulted from mounting frustration:
“It didn’t just come out of nowhere… when you see things happening that should not happen, sometimes emotions come out of nowhere.”
England Push Back
England captain Ben Stokes defended his players. He said they had stayed within the rules, saying they would not back down but also had no intention to antagonise:
“At no one stage did we go over the line… we are not going to take a backward step and let any opposition try and be confrontational towards us.”
Stokes also noted concerns about over-rate rules, pointing out that fast-bowling teams face natural delays compared to spinner-led sides.
Series Faces Rising Tension
England now leads the five-Test series 2–1, and the fourth Test begins July 23 in Manchester. With this fierce exchange, the series looks set to intensify. Gill’s strong stand highlights ongoing debate around sportsmanship, fair play, and tactical tactics in modern Test cricket.
