"I've got no sympathy for India" - Former pacer slams Team India's ball changing antics in ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test 

Former England pacer Steve Harmison lambasted Team India captain Shubman Gill's decision to proceed with a ball change request to the umpires barely after 10 overs were bowled with the second new ball. The shortened life span of the Duke's ball has been a talking point throughout the series, but the Men in Blue were unhappy with the ball as early as the first session of Day 2.

The visitors had the ideal start to the day at Lord's as Jasprit Bumrah dismissed the trio of Ben Stokes, Joe Root and Chris Woakes in quick time. However, during the 91st over, Mohammed Siraj and Shubman Gill expressed disappointment in the ball in use, and demanded a replacement.

But India's ploy backfired as the replacement selected by the umpires fared even worse than its predecessor. Gill was instantly unimpressed with the choice of ball, and was involved in an animated discussion with the umpire, questioning their judgment.

The Indian skipper again approached the umpire during the drinks break, staging another animated conversation. The replacement ball also ended up being replaced after just eight overs, as the umpires had to choose yet another new ball.

England profited amid the ball-change drama as Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse scored fifties to stretch the first-innings total beyond the 350-run mark.

Steve Harmison questioned the need for the ball to be changed, and was baffled how Jasprit Bumrah was not consulted when the request was put to the umpires.

"I've got no sympathy for India at all. Why change it? Jasprit Bumrah got it swinging around the corners. Mohammed Siraj didn't even throw the ball to Bumrah, didn't ask his opinion. When he asked for the ball to be changed, the ball was doing a lot. Now, the ball being good enough is a different argument. In this situation, I've got no idea why India decided to change the ball," Harmison said on-air (via Hindustan Times).

“The ball was doing all sorts. They just picked up three wickets, and then it was an absolute implosion. Gill stopped trying to get Jamie Smith out, put all the fielders out. All of a sudden, you've now got the older ball. I do agree the ball was a lot older than the one they replaced. Within 10 minutes, they got from bowling England out for 320 to now potentially England getting 400. Because you feel hard done by when the ball was actually doing quite a lot. That's why I've a pretty little sympathy with India. They should've never done that," he added.

The eighth-wicket partnership yielded 84 runs, before Mohammed Siraj eventually made the breakthrough in the 107th over. Brydon Carse ensured that the tail wagged even further with a few more massive shots towards the end.

Jasprit Bumrah bags a five-wicket haul for Team India as England post 387 in the first innings

Team India wrapped up the England tail halfway through the second session at Lord's. Jasprit Bumrah castled Jofra Archer to register his maiden five-wicket haul at Lord's. Mohammed Siraj also castled Brydon Carsen for 56 to conclude the innings.

At the time of writing, openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal are out in the middle, with Chris Woakes set to kick-start the proceedings with the new ball.