On Day 3 of the fifth and final Test between India and England, we have finally got the first intense piece of sledginging in this series where cricket has taken a front seat. The series was played with a lot of passion and intensity so far. England won the first Test while Bazballing and then India stormed back in style, winning three matches on the trot. There were banters and mental games played as Ben Duckett wanted credit for Bazball for motivating Yashasvi Jaiswal to play aggressively. Later, Rohit Sharma took a potshot by saying that it seems Duckett has never seen Rishabh Pant bat.
But all of these exchanges were not done on the field. These were bits from press conferences done throughout the series. On Saturday, in the cold Himalayas, it got a little heated up when Bairstow sledged Gill and got an epic reply back.
A video has gone viral in which one can hear these two cricketers having a go at each other. It is difficult to understand the exact words but here's what we could comprehend from it.
Bairstow: What did you say to Jimmy about getting tired and he got you out after that?
Gill: So what,it was after 100,how many have you got here?
Bairstow: How many have got, fullstop.
As per an Twitter user, even Sarfaraz was also involved in the exchange. Sarfaraz reportedly said, "Sarfaraz - Thode se runs kya bana diya, jyada uchal raha hain (scored a few runs today and jumping too much)."
Watch the stump mic conversation between Bairstow and Shubman below:
Bairstow and Gill really going at it__
— ` (@The4Gautam) March 9, 2024
JB: What did you say to Jimmy about getting tired and he got you out after that?
Gill: So what,it was after 100,how many have you got here?
JB: How many have got,fullstop.#INDvENG #CricketTwitter___
Video _ https://t.co/XiRtb3V0eQ pic.twitter.com/SvltwvNrkW
Gill, Jurel , Sarfu vs Bairstow__#IndVsEng #ShubmanGill pic.twitter.com/W15OmjYNER
— h^ (@harshonx__) March 9, 2024
At the time of reporting, England have lost six wickets in the second innings and were staring at an innings defeat in Dharamsala. Ashwin, playing in his 100th Test, had completed another five-wicket haul as England were trying to find answers to many questions. Earlier, thanks to hundreds from Rohit Sharma and Gill, India had posted 477 in the first innings, getting a lead of 259 runs. James Anderson had completed 700 Test wickets, removing Kuldeep Yadav on the morning of third day's play.
England will be returning with plenty of problems as Bazball has been busted in India by India. There are surely going to be repercussions as questions will be asked to captain Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.