'Grow some b****!' to handshake snubs: How on-field shenanigans kept the India vs England series on its toes

India and England players had a coming together during the fourth Test as the hosts pushed for an early draw while Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar neared centuries. (Getty Images)

Ben Stokes press conference: On Mohammed Siraj, Chris Woakes batting with injury, 2-2 result

A war in whites

India captain Shubman Gill (L) with his England counterpart Ben Stokes (R). (Getty Images)

Poll Did the on-field confrontations enhance the excitement of the series? Yes, it added drama No, it was too aggressive

Things get heated at Lord's

Day 3 of the India vs. England Third Test match ended on a dramatic note when Shubman Gill and Zak Crawley were spotted having a controversial altercation on the field.

India batters Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar refused to shake hands with England captain Ben Stokes. (Screengrab)

The final act: All drama and respect

Why it matters

IND vs ENG: Gautam Gambhir loses cool during heated exchange with ground staff at The Oval ahead of 5th Test

The recently concluded Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy between India and England firmly cemented itself as an era-defining rivalry — a five-match saga that had everything from record-breaking performances to heated confrontations, making it one of the best series in modern cricket.Yes, the cricket was exceptional. India scored five centuries in a single Test and lost. Shubman Gill scored the highest score, 269, by an Indian captain. Rishabh Pant batted with a fractured foot. Chris Woakes walked out to bat with a dislocated shoulder. But what kept fans glued beyond the scorecards was the intensity and edge — the on-field shenanigans that turned this into more than just a cricket series.Cricket, like all sports, is also about entertainment. While statistics and scorecards are the foundations of the game, it's the emotional spikes — the confrontations, the sledging, the mind games — that draw the eyeballs. And no two teams in Test cricket bring that out quite like India and England do in this series.This series had all the ingredients of a blockbuster.Even before the series began, expectations were high. India, going through a generational shift with the retirements of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin from Tests, handed the captaincy rein to 25-year-old Shubman Gill.England, led by the ever-aggressive Ben Stokes, were riding high on their Bazball bravado.From the very first Test, the battle lines were drawn. Gill and Pant made their presence felt with majestic centuries, but England's Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley were quick to throw punches back with fearless batting. With five Indian centuries in the first Test, and still a loss by five wickets, the emotional fuse was already lit.India made a stirring comeback at Edgbaston, where Gill led the bounced back from the front with sublime 269 and 161. A rejuvenated bowling unit helped India turn the tide against a confident England side. Their record-breaking 336 runs win in Birmingham not only kept the series alive but also showcased the team’s character under pressure.The third Test at Lord's flipped the emotional switch. As England openers arrived late at the crease before the stumps on Day 3, an already irritated Indian team grew more agitated when Zak Crawley pulled away mid-run-up and delayed the over further. During the over, an agitated Gill reportedly shouted, “Grow some f****** b****,” to the England openers — a comment that not only went viral but became symbolic of the series' boiling temperature.If that wasn't enough, Mohammed Siraj's send-off to Duckett the next day, shoulder brushing and all, earned him a fine and demerit point. But it also added fuel to the fire. From that point on, every wicket, every missed chance, every milestone had undertones of personal battle.The fourth Test at Old Trafford saw a dramatic shift. India, trailing by 311 runs, decided to bat on despite an obvious draw on the final day, which rubbed England the wrong way. When Ben Stokes suggested a handshake with an hour left, Jadeja refused, triggering barbs like, “Do you want a hundred against Brook & Duckett?” The Indians did exactly that — Jadeja stayed and scored a hundred, before Washington Sundar brought up his maiden Test century.Pant’s decision to bat with a fractured foot also added a layer of raw courage to an already intense series. Despite the pain, he defied England’s attack with a fifty, earning admiration from teammates and opponents alike.By the time the series reached The Oval, even the coaching staff were in the thick of it. Gautam Gambhir's spat with the groundsman over pitch access caused another ripple. On the field, the fire was still burning. Akash Deep gave a hard stare to Duckett and put his arm around the batter after dismissing him, and Prasidh Krishna and Joe Root engaged in verbal jabs that required umpire intervention.But amid the confrontations, there were touching moments too. Chris Woakes, who had dislocated his shoulder, walked out to bat one-handed. India's players greeted him warmly, and the crowd gave him a standing ovation. He was the last man standing as India sealed a dramatic six-run win, drawing the series 2-2.In a world where franchise cricket and instant results dominate, a long-drawn, intense five-match Test series between two passionate sides proves that traditional cricket is far from dead. The heated exchanges, the ego battles, and the refusal to back down, all brought the series alive in a way few others do.These so-called “shenanigans” are not sideshows — they're intrinsic to the spectacle. They add layers to the competition, humanise the players, and keep the contest engaging beyond the runs and wickets.The India vs England rivalry has always had history, but now it has heat, hunger, and hostility. And that might just be the best thing that's happened to Test cricket in a long, long time.

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