Shubman Gill stood his ground when asked about the fiery exchange he had with Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett during the tense final moments of Day 3 at Lord’s. The Indian skipper was visibly unimpressed by what he viewed as blatant time-wasting tactics by the England openers, particularly after Crawley summoned the physio for treatment following a blow to the gloves — prompting sarcastic applause from the Indian fielders.

Gill didn’t mince his words either. In the heat of the moment, he reportedly snapped at Crawley, telling him to “grow some f***** b***s!” — a phrase that quickly gained traction across social media and stirred plenty of reactions.

While England players didn’t take kindly to the sarcasm and sledging, they fired back with their own verbal jibes when they returned to the field. England captain Ben Stokes later acknowledged that the confrontation acted as a motivating trigger for his side, adding an extra layer of intensity to the already riveting series.

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However, Gill later clarified his remarks during a press conference ahead of the Manchester Test, insisting that his real issue wasn’t with Crawley calling for medical help, but with England’s deliberate delay in starting their second innings. According to Shubman Gill, the 90-second delay in taking strike didn’t sit well with him.

“Most teams try to reduce the number of overs they face, and we would’ve done the same in their position. But there’s a manner to do it. If you’ve taken a blow, it’s fair for the physio to come in. But arriving late to the crease is against the spirit of the game,” Shubman Gill stated.

During Day 1 of the fourth Test, former England captain Nasser Hussain addressed Gill’s remarks in a commentary exchange with Dinesh Karthik. Hussain chuckled at the suggestion that England lacked spirit, reminding viewers how Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur were trying to slow the game to avoid facing Jofra Archer under fading light.

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Dinesh Karthik defended Gill’s stance, pointing out that Gill specifically took issue with the delayed entry to the field — not the strategic slowing down of play. “It wasn’t about avoiding an over — it was about not showing up on time to take the strike. That’s where Gill drew the line,” Karthik concluded.

The debate around “spirit of the game” continues to stir differing opinions — and this episode is just the latest flashpoint in an already heated series.