Delay of 90 seconds sparked it: Gill on clash with Crawley in Lord's Test

England captain Ben Stokes, in his presser before Shubman Gill, also mentioned the incident, saying his team would reciprocate any aggression from the Indian side in the intense Test series

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India captain Shubman Gill addressed the much-discussed exchange with Zak Crawley at Lord’s, clarifying that it was triggered by a 90-second delay in the English batter’s arrival at the crease. Speaking on the eve of the fourth Test in Manchester, Gill said England’s tactic—coming out nearly a minute and a half late with only seven minutes left in the day—was seen as unsporting. “Yes, most teams want to face fewer overs in such situations, but there’s a certain manner to do it,” Gill stated. “Ninety seconds late is not in the spirit of the game.” He added that the confrontation didn’t arise out of nowhere but was the result of several build-ups earlier in the match. While admitting it wasn’t something he was "proud of", Gill stood by his team’s reaction, attributing it to the emotional intensity of high-stakes Test cricket. 

Session management and missed opportunities

Gill acknowledged that India’s inability to close sessions strongly has been a recurring issue. Despite being in commanding positions during the Lord’s Test, the team frequently lost key wickets at the end of sessions, allowing England to claw back. “We’ve spoken about it, whether in Australia or here—how important it is to win the start and end of a session. Sometimes, you do everything right, but things don’t go your way,” he admitted. Improving session discipline, with bat and ball, remains a focus heading into the Manchester Test.

Stokes’ reply: England will respond in kind

England captain Ben Stokes, in his presser before Gill, also mentioned the incident, saying his team would reciprocate any aggression from the Indian side in the intense Test series. Speaking before the fourth Test at Old Trafford, Stokes emphasised that while neither team is looking to initiate sledging, aggressive moments are inevitable due to the high stakes involved. “We’re not going to purposely start it, but we won't take a backward step either,” he said, indicating England’s readiness to meet confrontation head-on. Stokes acknowledged that India’s aggression at Lord’s, especially from players like Gill and Siraj, injected energy into England’s performance, and that his team has embraced this competitive intensity to maintain momentum in the series. 

Stokes on Lord's incident: Energy and momentum battle

Reflecting on the tense moments at Lord’s, Stokes defended behaviour from his players, saying the tactics employed by Crawley and Duckett were part of a fierce fight to secure victory. He noted, “We threw everything at India—skills and energy both." He admitted that returning aggression raised the team’s adrenaline and camaraderie, calling it a “really nice moment” for England to collectively back each other in the face of confrontation. With England leading the series 2-1, Stokes expressed confidence in maintaining their momentum at Old Trafford and stressed the importance of continuing the same effort and energy as they seek to clinch the series.