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The first Test of the five-match series between India and England in Nottingham is tantalizingly poised. Going into the final day’s play on Sunday, India need 157 runs to win the match with nine wickets in hand.
India looked to have seized the initiative on Day 4, sending back England batters Rory Burns (18) and Zak Crawley (6) cheaply. However, England skipper Joe Root once again stood up for the team and scored a fine century to keep the hosts in the hunt.
With the match being hard-fought, tensions flared up between players from the two teams. England all-rounder Sam Curran, who was again proving to be a thorn in India’s flesh, was involved in a verbal altercation with Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj.
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As England’s lead grew, Siraj tried to unsettle Curran by giving the batsman a piece of his mind. Curran gave it back to the Indian bowler and it needed an unusually calm Virat Kohli to settle things as he asked Siraj to maintain his cool.
When India and England players exchanged verbal volleys
In the wake of the Siraj-Curran incident, we look at three previous instances where India and England players were involved in ugly on-field spats.
#1 Virat Kohli vs Ben Stokes (Mohali 2016) - Come, let’s play ‘send-off’
The 2016 Mohali Test was as much about Virat Kohli vs Ben Stokes as it was about India vs England. The two fiery characters of international cricket were involved in not one but three incidents during the Mohali Test in 2016.
It all began on Day 1 of the Test itself. After Stokes was dismissed by left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, Kohli gave him his mandatory loud send-off. The England all-rounder wasn’t pleased one bit and had a go at the Indian captain. The umpires had to rush in to prevent the skirmish from getting out of hand. Stokes ended up getting an ICC reprimand for his spat with Kohli.
The chapter did not end there though. On Day 2, after Stokes dismissed a well-set Kohli, he made a ‘sealed lips’ gesture to remind everyone that he had been warned for his behaviour. The third part of the Stokes-Kohli tussle played out on Day 3 after Kohli made the ‘I will remain quiet’ gesture following the England all-rounder’s wicket.
India dominated the Test and went on to win the contest by eight wickets to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
#2 Rishabh Pant vs Ben Stokes (Chennai 2021) - You talk, I won’t bat
England all-rounder Stokes was in the thick of action again, this time during the second Test in Chennai in March this year. Towards the end of the first day’s play at Chepauk, Pant was taking his time between deliveries to ensure England did not get in any additional overs - a regular tactic used by batters as they approach Stumps.
Well aware of what Pant was up to, an irked Stokes, who was standing at first slip, muttered something to Pant. The young wicketkeeper-batsman utilized the situation further to his advantage and refused to take strike until the chat behind the stumps stopped. Eventually, Pant played out the over.
The matter did not end there though. At the end of the over, Stokes and Pant carried on the conversation, which soon transformed into a heated argument. As it often happens, the umpires again had to step in and play peacemakers.
India went on to beat England by 317 runs in the second Test to square the four-match series 1-1.
#3 Zaheer Khan vs Kevin Pietersen (Trent Bridge 2007) - Who threw jelly beans on the pitch?
The 2007 Trent Bridge Test between India and England witnessed a bizarre incident. While pacer Zaheer Khan was batting, he spotted jelly beans lying on the crease, which he promptly threw away. However, before the next ball was bowled, the jelly beans reappeared.
Zaheer complained to the umpires about the matter. The angry cricketer also confronted Kevin Pietersen, who was standing at slip. The English cricketer hit back at the Indian batsman, telling him that he had picked the wrong guy. Zaheer even angrily pointed a bat at Pietersen before the umpires intervened to calm things down.
Zaheer remained not out on 10 as India posted an impressive 481 in response to England’s first-innings total of 198. Controversy apart, the left-arm seamer had a memorable Test match, claiming nine wickets (4/59 and 5/75).
He was named man of the match for his splendid bowling effort as India won the Test, the second of the three-match series, by seven wickets. India drew the last Test to register a famous series victory in England. They haven’t won a Test series in the country since.
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