England batter Joe Root responded strongly to the controversy involving Shubman Gill and the umpires during the Lord’s Test. On Day 2 of the match, Gill and Mohammed Siraj expressed dissatisfaction over a replacement ball provided just 10.3 overs after the second new ball was introduced. This sparked a debate about the quality and durability of the Dukes ball, which has been under fire throughout the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series.
Joe Root, who scored a century in England’s first innings, proposed a unique solution. He suggested allowing each team three ball-change requests per 80 overs, similar to how challenges are used in other sports. Root said this would reduce arguments and delays while also sharing the responsibility between teams and officials.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Root said, “If you want to keep getting the ball changed, then each team should get three challenges per 80 overs. But the rings used for measuring ball shape need to be accurate too.”
‘You can’t waste time and slow the game’: Root
Root didn’t stop there. He indirectly criticized India for what he saw as time-wasting behavior and a reluctance to adjust to changing match conditions. “Sometimes these things happen, but you can’t just keep asking and wasting time and slowing the game down,” Root said.
The former England captain emphasized that players must be ready to adapt to the game’s natural dynamics. “It’s not the end of the world if the ball behaves differently. You need to be skillful enough to handle it, whether it swings more, less, or stops swinging.”
During the session after the controversial ball change, India lost momentum. Jasprit Bumrah had earlier taken three wickets in just 14 deliveries, but the replacement ball didn’t offer the same movement. England’s lower-order batters Brydon Carse and Jamie Smith capitalized on the situation, taking the team past 350.
England eventually posted 387 runs in their first innings. India responded with 145 for 3 at stumps on Day 2, with KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant at the crease. The visitors still trail by 242 runs, leaving the Test evenly poised heading into Day 3.
Stay tuned for all the latest Cricket News, Match Predictions, Fantasy Tips, and Cricket updates!
