Former England all-rounder Moeen Ali has come to the defence of young Indian captain Shubman Gill following his fiery on-field outburst at Lord’s, which drew sharp criticism after India’s 22-run defeat in the third Test of the ongoing five-match series. Gill, known for his composed batting, surprised many with his aggression, particularly during a tense standoff with England’s Zak Crawley late on Day 3.
With India having matched England’s first-innings total and pushing for one final over, Cawley allegedly delayed proceedings by calling for treatment after being struck on the glove. Frustrated, Gill was caught on stump mic shouting, “Get some balls, grow some fucking balls.” The incident sparked comparisons to Virat Kohli’s past flare-ups at Lord’s, and post-defeat, Gill’s display was not universally well-received.
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Moeen Ali, currently playing in the Global Super League, argued that Gill’s intense approach was merely a sign of leadership determination. He told FanCode: “It’s fine… he was just trying to be competitive and fight, very similar to Virat Kohli… But what you’ve done is brought out the best of England, the fight, and the beast England can be… It’s great for the series, I don’t know why he gets criticised.”
“I think Shubman Gill’s just trying to be competitive in front of a fight and very similar to Virat Kohli, I think it’s fine,” Moeen Ali said.#ViratKohli #shubmangill𓃵 #ENGvsIND | @ITGDsports https://t.co/q9g6T4XUO3
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) July 17, 2025
Moeen believes Gill’s aggression might have inadvertently fueled England’s resolve, helping the hosts clinch a hard-fought win at Lord’s. Beyond Gill’s behaviour, Moeen weighed in on the absence of wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav from India’s playing XI. With Washington Sundar performing well with both bat and ball, and Ravindra Jadeja delivering all-round value, Moeen acknowledged the selection challenge:
“I would like to see him [Kuldeep] in the team, but I don’t know who for. Washi has bowled well, and Jadeja has batted well. It makes it difficult to bring Kuldeep Yadav in on the side.” His remarks reflect a practical take on a strengthened, albeit crowded, Indian spin department.
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As the series shifts its focus to Old Trafford for the fourth Test, beginning July 23, India must regroup. Gill’s aggressive leadership may yet yield dividends—but only if channelled effectively. Meanwhile, England will look to capitalise on their momentum following the morale-boosting win at the Home of Cricket.
