In a gripping Lord’s Test marked by fiery moments, only one player drew the ICC’s disciplinary ire—India pacer Mohammed Siraj. On Day 4, after uprooting Ben Duckett’s stumps, he let out a fierce roar right in Duckett’s face, with a fleeting shoulder brush included. The ICC deemed it excessive and fined him 15% of his match fee, adding a demerit point to his disciplinary record.
Siraj, typically known for his competitive spirit, defended the celebration as a raw emotional response to a pivotal wicket. England fast bowling legend Stuart Broad, appearing on the For The Love Of Cricket podcast, backed him. Broad called the ICC’s penalty “ridiculous,” stressing players aren’t robots and pointing out the inconsistency, especially since India’s Shubman Gill had been caught swearing on live stump mic without consequence.
He argued: “Siraj got 15% fined for his altercation … which I thought was ridiculous … He didn’t do anything particularly wrong apart from celebrating a huge wicket that got his team back into the game.”
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Broad also tweeted: “Find this ridiculous. Siraj 15% for aggressive celebration. Gill swears live on tv & carries on and what? It’s either both or neither. Players aren’t and shouldn’t be robots but consistency is key.”
Find this ridiculous. Siraj 15% for aggressive celebration. Gill swears live on tv & carries on and what? It’s either both or neither. Players aren’t and shouldn’t be robots but consistency is key https://t.co/5qtpxCmGZs
— Stuart Broad (@StuartBroad8) July 14, 2025
Despite the drama, England edged a thrilling win by 22 runs, courtesy of Ben Stokes’ all-round heroics. India’s lower order, led by Ravindra Jadeja’s gritty fifty and tail-enders Bumrah and Siraj, clawed back to 170 while chasing 193, falling just short. Ultimately, Shoaib Bashir claimed Siraj’s wicket, sealing England’s 2–1 lead in the series.
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This episode highlights the shifting dynamics of emotional expression in Test cricket and debates around ICC’s conduct rules. With the fourth Test scheduled in Manchester on July 23, attention will shift back to on-field tactics—and whether Siraj’s passionate demeanour fuels India’s fightback or chips away at their composure.
