Day 3 of the second Test between England and India at Lord’s witnessed a weird interruption that left commentators and viewers annoyed. Simply because the gamers returned to the sector after the primary drinks break, the on-field umpires halted proceedings to examine the situation of the ball, ultimately deciding to interchange it. The delay—lasting a number of minutes—got here at a time when India had began the session strongly, and momentum was clearly with the guests.
What baffled many was the timing of the inspection. Quite than utilizing the break to verify and substitute the ball, the umpires selected to provoke the method after the drinks interval had concluded, resulting in an avoidable stoppage in play and mounting criticism from all quarters.
Ravi Shastri fumes at umpires’ lack of understanding
Former India head coach Ravi Shastri, who was on-air through the incident, didn’t mince phrases as he expressed his frustration on the match officers’ dealing with of the scenario. Agreeing with fellow commentator Ian Ward, Shastri labelled the delay as mindless and simply avoidable. He questioned why the umpires waited till after the drinks break to provoke the method as an alternative of utilizing the interval to conduct the verify, calling the delay “ridiculous.” Shastri emphasised that such choices must be pushed by widespread sense, as pointless stoppages can disrupt the sport’s rhythm. He additionally raised a legitimate level in regards to the alternative balls themselves, noting that 5 completely different balls did not cross the ring gauge check and questioning why they have been accessible within the first place in the event that they didn’t meet the requirements.
“They’ve determined to alter the ball once more, it’s fairly frankly ridiculous. As a result of in the event that they’ve determined to alter the ball, why was that not determined at first of the drinks break?. We waited for the whole thing of the drinks break, they need to be taking part in once more now and now the umpires have determined to alter it and undergo the process. It’s simply widespread sense. They checked 5 balls and none of them went by the ring. So why are these balls even within the field within the first place?,” mentioned Shastri on SkySports.
Additionally READ – ENG vs IND: Fans go berserk as KL Rahul hits a gritty century on Day 3 of the Lord’s Test
Dukes ball once more in highlight amid series-wide issues
This newest ball-related controversy solely provides to the scrutiny surrounding the Dukes ball on this collection. A number of cases of form deformation and mid-innings replacements have already been famous, with gamers voicing discontent. Earlier, England nice Stuart Broad brazenly criticised the producer for the shortage of consistency within the balls equipped.
“What was that not determined at first of the drinks break?” ⌚️
“It is common sense what you are saying. It is fundamental!” 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/Q431g2HpR1
— Sky Sports activities Cricket (@SkyCricket) July 12, 2025
Additionally READ: ENG vs IND: Fans fume as Rishabh Pant’s run-out mix-up with KL Rahul spoils India’s momentum on Day 3 of Lord’s Test
