India’s fiery pacer Mohammed Siraj landed in trouble after celebrating Ben Duckett’s dismissal during the Lord’s Test in a manner deemed too aggressive by the ICC. The incident, which followed a tense few days between India and England, resulted in Siraj being fined for what the ICC described as “provocative” behavior that could have “incited an aggressive reaction.”
Tempers had already been flaring. On Day 3, the Indian camp was visibly upset by what they saw as deliberate time-wasting from the English batters — with openers strolling onto the field well past the scheduled time. An exchange between India’s captain Shubman Gill and Zak Crawley only added fuel to the fire, and tensions remained high for the rest of the match.
Despite multiple confrontations — including Gill using foul language and making an obscene gesture — Siraj’s fired-up send-off became the main point of disciplinary action. During the celebration, he came close to Duckett and the two brushed shoulders — an act that stirred plenty of reaction from English fans.
Nasser Hussain: “Let the Emotions Flow”
Former England captain Nasser Hussain didn’t hold back in defending Siraj, suggesting the ICC overreacted.
“One of the highlights of the Test match, the way India went at Crawley. They (England openers) started 90 seconds later than they should have! They were very street-smart in the way they slowly walked down the stairs, pretending to get lost in the long room. India rightly went at them, and that obviously fired everyone up.
“Then, Siraj was fired up. I think he’s a better cricketer when he’s fired up. You’d love to have Siraj on the side. I didn’t think he should’ve been fined. He went close to the line, he was right in Duckett’s face, he didn’t barge (at) Duckett. If anything, Duckett went in that direction to get off the pitch. It wasn’t a shoulder barge. I think it’s a game of emotions, and you don’t need 22 robots. I love the tension,” Hussain told Sky Sports Cricket.
A Cruel End to a Charged Test for Siraj
Siraj’s passion couldn’t save India from a narrow loss. On the final day, he became the last man out in a bizarre and unfortunate way. After defending the final ball softly, the ball spun back sharply and hit the stumps. India lost the match by just 22 runs, bringing an end to a gripping contest.
Must-Win Test Ahead in Manchester
The fourth Test of the series begins on July 23 in Manchester, and it’s a must-win for India. With the series at 2-1 in England’s favor, India will need Siraj and Bumrah to lead the charge once again if they want to keep the series alive. Emotions, no doubt, will be running high — and this time, fans and players alike will be watching closely how far is “too far” in the heat of battle.
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