What did King Charles III ask Indian skipper Shubman Gill after 3rd Test?

The 76-year-old monarch engaged in a friendly cricketing discussion with the Indian squad after the Lord's Test, a meeting Gill later described as "amazing."

King Charles III described Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj’s dismissal in the Lord's Test as “unfortunate” after thoughtfully asking Shubman Gill about the moment during a reception at Clarence House, where he welcomed both India’s men's and women's cricket teams on Tuesday.

The 76-year-old monarch engaged in a friendly cricketing discussion with the Indian squad, a meeting Gill later described as “amazing.” Joining the teams were Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami, Deputy High Commissioner Sujit Ghosh, BCCI Vice-President Rajiv Shukla, and Secretary Devajit Saikia.  What did King Charles III ask Shubman Gill after Lord's Test?

Gill shared with the media: “It was amazing. He was very kind and generous, and we had some excellent conversations.”

Recalling the dramatic finish in the third Test, where Siraj was bowled as the ball sat defensively off his bat, Gill added: “The King noted how unlucky our last batters were, with the ball ending up on the stumps. He asked us, ‘How did you feel after that?’ We told him it was an unfortunate match but that we’re hopeful for better luck in the upcoming games.”

Gill also praised the unwavering support from the Indian community in the UK: “We’re fortunate to receive strong backing wherever we play. At first, the crowd at Lord’s seemed more England-leaning, but over the last few days, the support for us was overwhelming.” 

He lauded the quality of Test cricket on display, saying: “Both teams showed passion and pride, giving everything mentally and physically. When a five-day Test ends with such a narrow margin, cricket wins.”  Harmanpreet Kaur on meeting the King

On her own exceptional experience, Indian women's team captain Harmanpreet Kaur said, “Meeting the King was a wonderful experience. This was our first time meeting him, he was very friendly and asked about our travel.”

Women’s head coach Amol Muzumdar added, “It was a humbling moment at the Royal House. We traveled all the way from Southampton, and it was definitely worth it.”

The event was hosted by the British Asian Trust, founded by Charles when he was Prince of Wales to address poverty and inequality in South Asia. Hitan Mehta, Executive Director, remarked on the trust’s growth: “It began with a cricket match between India and Pakistan in 2007 organized by His Majesty, and now reaches 13 million people across the region.”

Following the visit, the men's team departed for Manchester ahead of the fourth Test, while the women's squad returned to Southampton to prepare for their ODI clash with England, scheduled after their narrow 3-2 T20I series win.