"We call it Tamasha" - Former India coach's huge take on England openers' delay tactics late on Day 3 of ENG vs IND 2025 3rd Test

Former all-rounder and coach Ravi Shastri backed the friction between Team India and England towards the end of Day 3 of the third Test at Lord's. The visitors were left frustrated with Zak Crawley's time-wasting tactics, which resulted only in one over being bowled before Stumps on Saturday, July 12.

Team India were bowled out on 387 late on Day 3, leaving enough time for the England openers to come out, and face the new ball for a couple of overs at least. Zak Crawley was up against Jasprit Bumrah, and the opening batter resorted to all possible measures to ensure that only the bare minimum of one over would be bowled.

He moved out of his stance a couple of times, and also sought the physio after being hit on the hand. Team India skipper Shubman Gill was not left impressed by England's negative tactics, and neither was the rest of the fielding unit. Crawley successfully played out the solitary over before heading to the dressing room, while Ben Duckett was confronted by a handful of players on his way back.

Ravi Shastri opined that such heated moments spice up the game, and the players are well within their rights to be aggressive, as long as they do not cross the line.

"If I'm wearing the Indian hat, I would have done all that. We call it Tamasha. All that is allowed on the field of play. You want all that, you can't just have 'good morning', 'good evening', and then go home. Little bit of argy-bargy is okay," Shastri said on Sky Sports ahead of Day 4 at Lord's.

England finished Day 3 on 2-0 after wiping out the Men in Blue's tail quickly following Ravindra Jadeja's dismissal in the 114th over of the innings.

"It's a bit of theatrics at the end" - India's KL Rahul on England's time-wasting tactics on Day 3 of ENG vs IND 3rd Test

Team India had endured a similar heated situation when Usman Khawaja and Sam Konstas employed time-wasting tactics during the fifth Test of the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar series in Sydney. On that occasion, Jasprit Bumrah had dismissed Usman Khawaja right at the end of the day's play, as the Indian fielders hounded Sam Konstas while celebrating.

"Yeah, I mean, I have seen him (Shubman Gill) fired up, but obviously, we wanted to bowl 2 overs. There were 6 minutes left. Obviously, 2 overs is a no-brainer that any team will bowl," KL Rahul said during the press conference after the day's play (via India Today).

"But, yeah, it's a bit of theatrics at the end. And, yeah, we were all pumped up either way because we know how difficult it is for a batter to come into bat for 2 overs when you've been in the field all day. We're hoping we could get a wicket there and a wicket at the end of the day's play would have been perfect for us," he added.

With not much to separate the two sides after the first innings, the two sides are about to be involved in two high-octane days to establish a lead in the series.