The Lord's Test may have ended in heartbreak for India but one of the biggest talking points was captain Shubman Gill's heated confrontation with England's openers on Day 3.
The young skipper's visible frustration during the final moments of the day stirred debate among fans with many questioning whether the outburst was in line with his usual calm persona.
📲 Follow The Sporting News India on WhatsApp
Gill's reaction came when India, having matched England's first-innings total of 387, attempted to sneak in two overs before stumps. However, England openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett took their time to take guard.
That led to a fiery exchange that caught everyone's attention.
More: No Rohit Sharma? Ravi Shastri names his top 5 greatest Indian cricketers of all time
What did Ricky Ponting say about Shubman Gill vs. Zak Crawley fight?
Speaking on The ICC Review, former Australia captain Ricky Ponting acknowledged that Gill's behaviour seemed out of character but said it was a moment of leadership.
"That was a little out of character from what I've known from Shubman in the past. But that's the captain standing up for his team, wanting to show that it's his team now and this is the way we're going to play the game," Ponting told Sanjana Ganesan.
More: Explained: Why Gus Atkinson was ignored by both Surrey and England Test team in their playing XIs
Ponting has captained Australia on two Ashes tours. He added that the pressure of playing in England can wear down even the most composed leaders.
"The UK can be a hard place to play, the crowds, as much as they love the game, can be hostile. And the media, when it's a big series like England vs India, they're always on your back," he added.
Ponting also felt Gill was simply trying to make his mark in a style closer to Virat Kohli's than Rohit Sharma's.
"I think that's him starting to put his stamp on the team. Rohit was never as outwardly aggressive to opposition players. But I love watching Shubman stand up for what he thought was right," he concluded.
India trail the series 2-1 heading into the fourth Test at Old Trafford, which begins on July 23.
India vs England 2025 Test series: Full schedule and results
| Date | Match | Time (IST) | Result | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 20–24, 2025 | 1st Test | 3:30 PM | ENG won by 5 wickets | Headingley, Leeds |
| July 2–6, 2025 | 2nd Test | 3:30 PM | IND won by 336 runs | Edgbaston, Birmingham |
| July 10–14, 2025 | 3rd Test | 3:30 PM | ENG won by 22 runs | Lord’s, London |
| July 23–27, 2025 | 4th Test | 3:30 PM | Old Trafford, Manchester | |
| July 31–Aug 4, 2025 | 5th Test | 3:30 PM | Kennington Oval, London |