Sunil Gavaskar Says Shubman Gill’s Clash With England Openers At Lord’s Due To Lack Of IPL Exposure

Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar believes the heated exchange between Shubman Gill and England’s openers during the ongoing Lord’s Test stems from a lack of familiarity — a void caused by several English players skipping the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Speaking on Saturday (July 12), Gavaskar pointed out that before the IPL era, such confrontations were common. But with more players now sharing dressing rooms across franchises, that intensity has gradually softened.

IPL Absence Fueling On-Field Hostility, Says Gavaskar

Gill and the Indian camp were visibly unhappy when they felt England were deliberately trying to delay the game. Zak Crawley seemed to be avoiding an extra over just before Stumps, which didn’t sit well with the Indian skipper.

Shubman Gill confronted Crawley, while Ben Duckett stepped in and came face-to-face with him. Words were exchanged, and others, including Mohammed Siraj, also joined the argument.

“…England wanting to make it the last over. The Indians thought it was may bit of gamesmanship. Maybe it was,” Gavaskar said, as quoted by The Hindustan Times.

IPL Participation Builds Camaraderie, Says Ex-India Captain

Gavaskar suggested that had more England players been active in the IPL, the tension may have been diffused. He highlighted how players from other nations now enjoy friendlier relations with Indians due to time spent together in the league.

“There is a reason why this happened. That’s because not a lot of England players are competing in the IPL. That’s my thinking. From this England team Joe Root did not play, Ben Stokes did not play,” he said.

“What has happened with other teams is that a lot of their players are in the IPL. They have mixed with the Indian players, travelled with them. They shared changing room. This is what I keep saying, before the IPL, there was lot of animosity, bordering on being brutal, between some players.”

India-England Rivalry Adds Edge to Lord’s Test

Even though Crawley’s approach was technically within the rules — something seen before, like Rishabh Pant’s tactics during the 2024 T20 World Cup final — the Indian side’s reaction had merit.

The brief standoff has injected much-needed energy into a tightly contested match, which until then had been evenly poised, almost to the point of monotony.

As the action heads into Day 4, England have a slender two-run lead in the third innings with two full days remaining in what promises to be a tense finish.

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