Shubman Gill’s Fiery Press Conference Sparks England’s Reaction: Zak Crawley ‘Crossed the Line,’ Umpires Criticized

Mark Ramprakash believes Zak Crawley overstepped at Lord’s during the third Test and praised India captain Shubman Gill’s strong response.

Mark Ramprakash Criticizes Zak Crawley’s Time-Wasting at Lord’s

Former England batter and batting coach Mark Ramprakash believes Zak Crawley went too far with his time-wasting tactics during the Lord’s Test against India. Minutes before stumps on Day 3, tensions escalated when India captain Shubman Gill lost patience as Crawley repeatedly backed away during Jasprit Bumrah’s over, preventing India from getting another chance to bowl before the close of play.

Shubman Gill recounted the incident during the pre-match press conference ahead of the Manchester Test, highlighting that England’s opening batters were 90 seconds late to the crease and continued to waste time. The 25-year-old questioned England’s ‘spirit of the game’ and explained his frustration at their unsportsmanlike behavior.

In his Guardian column, Ramprakash supported India’s viewpoint, stating Crawley should have moved on instead of delaying unnecessarily. He noted that the Lord’s Test saw significant sledging from both sides but attributed the time-wasting episode to poor on-field management by the umpires.

Ramprakash added, “Batters at the end of a long day are always prone to pulling away or tying up a shoelace, but this was particularly poor and it really exposed the umpires, who throughout the match seemed most intent on keeping quiet and not getting involved.”

He also criticized England’s slow over rate and lengthy drinks break on Saturday, saying, “There was no urgency at all, and the umpires just let it carry on.”

Plenty of drama at Lord’s

During Jasprit Bumrah’s over just before play ended on Day 3, Zak Crawley suddenly stopped mid-run-up and sought medical attention after being hit on the gloves. The Indian players mocked Crawley’s theatrics by applauding him, which led to a heated verbal exchange between Crawley and India captain Shubman Gill, with both players blaming each other.

Mark Ramprakash commented on the incident, expressing surprise at Gill’s animated response. “Many would say Crawley was just being professional, doing whatever it took to help his side, and if the umpires weren’t bothered, then carry on. But I thought he pushed things too far and what can happen then, and did happen, is the opposition taking umbrage and discipline started breaking down,” Ramprakash wrote.

He added, “Shubman Gill, the India captain, got quite animated, and to be honest, I didn’t know he had that in him. Importantly, he was backed up by the rest of his players – it is in moments such as this that you see how together a team are. While I was not a fan of what happened, Gill saw his team were right there with him and showed real togetherness.”

Currently, England lead the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2-1, with both teams set to clash in the Manchester Test starting July 23.

Sign Up Fast For E2Bet And Enjoy A Free Bonus On Your First Registration!

• How To Get Free Bonus On E2Bet

• What is E2bet