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A contentious moment arose when India captain Shubman Gill and star pacer Mohammed Siraj engaged in a heated discussion with the on-field umpire on Day 2 of the third Test against England. The point of contention was the condition of the replacement ball provided during the game. Captain Gill was particularly vocal, animatedly expressing his concerns to the umpire about the quality of the substitute ball.
The quality and shape retention of Dukes cricket balls, often favored for their assistance to bowlers in red-ball cricket, have been a subject of increasing debate. There are growing concerns that these balls are losing their shape prematurely. This issue is exacerbated by the nature of pitches in England, which tend to offer less movement and bounce, creating conditions that favor batsmen and make it challenging for bowlers to take wickets.
The specific incident occurred during the 91st over of England's innings when the Indian team collectively raised concerns regarding the condition of the ball, remarkably, as it was only approximately 10 overs old. Following the team's complaint, the umpires inspected the ball's shape and, after it failed the hoop test, agreed to replace it.However, the replacement ball itself did not satisfy the Indian captain, Shubman Gill. He voiced his frustration, and Mohammed Siraj also questioned the condition of the newly provided ball. Despite their protests, the umpire ultimately dismissed Gill's concerns, leading to the visible animated exchange on the field. Adding to the drama, Mohammed Siraj's exasperated remark, "This is 10-overs old ball? Seriously?" was clearly audible on the stump microphone.
Watch Shubman Gill-Mohammed Siraj's tense chat with umpire here:
The incident unfolded on the first day of the third Test match held at Lord's. England, having chosen to bat first, concluded the day in a strong position at 251 for 4, with Joe Root nearing a century at 99 not out and Ben Stokes unbeaten on 39. Root achieved his 37th Test century on the very first ball of the following day, elevating him to fifth place in the all-time list of most Test centuries.
India had a positive start to the second day, with Jasprit Bumrah quickly dismissing Stokes for 44 in the third over. Mohammed Siraj came close to taking another wicket in the subsequent over, but KL Rahul dropped a catch from Jamie Smith in the slips. Nevertheless, Bumrah continued his strong performance by clean-bowling Root for 104, marking the 11th time he has dismissed Root in Test matches. He further compounded England's woes by taking the wicket of Chris Woakes for a golden duck. This led to an England collapse from a comfortable 260 for 4 to 271 for 7, before a partnership of over 40 runs between Brydon Carse and Jamie Smith provided some resistance.
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