"Is it ball-tampering ya covid measures?" - Virender Sehwag spots English players when they tried to tamper with the ball

Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag spotted suspicious activity by England fielders during the fourth day of the Lord's Test and posted a photo on his official Instagram handle. In the picture, we can clearly see an English fielder slightly smothering onto the ground with his shoes. As the shoes comprise spikes at the bottom, it might lead to ball-tampering.

Virender Sehwag shared the following photo on his Instagram and asked his followers' views about the visual in the caption.

Yeh kya ho raha hai. Is it ball tampering ya covid measures ? Kya lagta hai #indvseng

Many Indian cricket followers have noticed the same and opined that this is no different from the sandpaper scandal, which led to Smith and Warner getting banned for one year in 2018.

England faced a humiliating Test series defeat earlier this year on square-turners while touring India. There is some pressure on them to win the current series at home and salvage some pride. Cricket fans will hope that the above incident of the English fielder smothering the ball with shoes is just a normal incident and not an intentional effort to alter the shape of the ball.

Here are some of the reactions from Indian fans:

I have not seen such a thing in international cricket. #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/hX4HHlSNqI

— CricketMAN2 (@man4_cricket) August 15, 2021

If THIS isn’t an attempt to alter the condition of the ball, then what is?? #BallTampering #INDvENG @HomeOfCricket pic.twitter.com/aKP0o4zfgr

— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) August 15, 2021

Now then...how is this different from sandpaper?#ENGvIND | #INDvENG | #RedForRuth pic.twitter.com/DKEPv2obks

— Sridhar_FlashCric (@SridharBhamidi) August 15, 2021

Now they don't have their favourite weather to assist them.. new method #INDvENG #balltampering pic.twitter.com/C54G2VmE5v

— mark rufus (@markrufus007) August 15, 2021

Honestly speaking, India has already won this match after this happened. #INDvENG #ENGvsIND pic.twitter.com/GziZSXLC8e

— Chinmay Rane (@cvrane) August 15, 2021

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"Move forward, put your bat and say Jai Bajrang Bali" - Virender Sehwag's comical suggestion to face James Anderson successfully

James Anderson has been an arch-nemesis for India with the ball whenever the two teams have faced off over the last decade and a half. The 39-year old legendary pacer continued his good form against India in the first innings of the current Lord's Test as he picked up yet another five-wicket haul(5/62) and was the standout bowler for the hosts.

Speaking during a discussion on Sony Sports, Virender Sehwag gave comical advice to the Indian batsman on how to tackle Anderson's bowling. Sehwag said:

"Move forward, put your bat and say Jai Bajrang Bali. Just pray that it somehow misses because the spot at which he bowls, there is only one fear, not about the ball going away but if the ball comes in, you will be LBW or bowled because you cannot leave the delivery."