England opener Zak Crawley has shed light on the fiery confrontation with India captain Shubman Gill during the tense third day of the Lord’s Test, calling it one of the most exhilarating moments of the series so far.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The drama unfolded late on Day 3, when Crawley and fellow opener Ben Duckett took 90 seconds longer than usual to walk out to bat. The delay drew immediate protest from Gill, who accused the duo of deliberately wasting time to face fewer deliveries before stumps. What followed was a heated exchange, with nearly the entire Indian team surrounding the batters in an intense verbal standoff.
Recalling the moment, Crawley said at the post-day press conference of the Manchester Test on Thursday: “I’ve always enjoyed that part of cricket, to be honest, especially when you’re batting. There’s two of you against eleven, and they’re desperate to get you out, and they’re chirping you… I loved that little eight-minute passage.”
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He emphasised that the confrontation didn’t cross any lines: “No one stepped over the line. I thought everyone was in good spirits. It was just competitive cricket, and I really enjoyed it.”The altercation fired up both teams. Mohammed Siraj and Jasprit Bumrah came out steaming the next day, and by Day 5, England’s response was equally fierce. Ben Stokes delivered a relentless 10-over spell, and Jofra Archer unleashed raw pace to help bowl India out for 170, sealing a dramatic 22-run win.
Addressing the delay, Crawley clarified: “No, no. Not at all. I sit in my spot until the umpires go out. I wasn’t aware we were 90 seconds late, but fair enough.”
