India were very close to clinching the third Test of the five-match series at Lord's on Monday but it was England who eventually emerged victorious, grabbing a 22-run win in the end.
A dramatic Day 5 saw England pick up four wickets in the first session as India were reduced to 112/8 at Lunch. However, the visitors bounced back from the setback and were slowly closing in on their target of 193 runs, riding on Ravindra Jadeja's brilliance and some resilient batting, first by Jasprit Bumrah and then by Mohammed Siraj.
In the end, though, Siraj got bowled by Shoaib Bashir as the relentless fight finally came to an end, with the hosts taking a 2-1 lead in the series.
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The loss at Lord's did not sit well with former India batter Mohammad Kaif, who claimed that Shubman Gill's aggressive behaviour in the Test match somewhat cost his team the game.
What did Mohammad Kaif say about Shubman Gill?
On Day 3, after India ended their first innings at 387, with scores level, England openers Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley came out to bat with just 6 minutes left for the end of the day's play.
The English openers attempted to stifle India’s push for the final two overs. Crawley was trying to kill time, stepping away from the crease repeatedly. It all began before the third ball of the final over, when Crawley stopped Bumrah in his run-up, signalling some movement behind the sight screen. Frustrated by what appeared to be a deliberate approach to kill time, the Indian players, including skipper Gill, were clearly unhappy as Gill unleashed his scorching verbal shot, “Grow some b***s.”
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The verbal spat further escalated when Crawley called for a physio after getting hit on the fingers by the second last ball of Bumrah. Visibly upset, Gill stormed towards Crawley in a dramatic confrontation and was also seen having a heated exchange with Ben Duckett.
Kaif believes that the aggressive on-field behaviour of the Indian captain riled up the English team, who came up with inspiring performances in the fourth innings to bowl the Indians.
On X, Kaif wrote: "Shubman Gill's fight with Zak Crawley charged England. After Edgbaston, there were questions about their batting, bowling and captaincy. But that incident fired up Stokes and he bowled an inspiring spells. It is wise to stick to the attitude that works for you. Gill will learn this the hard way."
Shubman Gill's fight with Zak Crawley charged England. After Edgbaston, there were questions about their batting, bowling and captaincy. But that incident fired up Stokes and he bowled an inspiring spells. It is wise to stick to the attitude that works for you. Gill will learn…
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) July 15, 2025
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What next for the Indian cricket team?
India will hope to restore parity in the series when the fourth Test kicks off on July 23 at Manchester.