London : A lot happened between 3:30 PM and midnight during the final Test between India and England at The Oval on Friday, and among all the events, the clash between Indian pace bowler Prasidh Krishna and England’s star batsman Joe Root became the most talked-about incident.
13 Wickets Fell in a Day
In around 8.5 hours of play (75 overs), 15 wickets fell, more than 340 runs were scored, rain interrupted the game, the sun peeked in and out of the clouds, there were light-hearted jokes and minor arguments between players—and overall, thousands of spectators thoroughly enjoyed the second day’s play.
India 2/75, Lead by 52 Runs
At stumps on Day 2 of the second innings, India was 75 for 2. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal was unbeaten on 51 and nightwatchman Akash Deep was on 4. In response to India’s first innings score of 224, England had scored 247, taking a lead of 23 runs.
Clashes Likely in Final Phase
England currently leads the series 2-1 and is determined to clinch the series. On the other hand, the visiting Indian team is aiming to win this final Test and level the series 2-2. Naturally, some on-field friction between the rival players is expected in such a high-stakes scenario.
Joe Root and Prasidh Krishna interaction #ENGvsIND pic.twitter.com/5zOGWj84QQ
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Tit for Tat
Australian and English players are known for engaging in pre-match mind games and are adept at sledging and provoking Indian players without reason once on the field. In the first four Tests, the British players often used these tactics to gain the upper hand. In this final Test, when Indian pacer Prasidh Krishna said something to a British batsman, the latter lost his cool.
Root Known for Calm, Gentlemanly Behavior
Joe Root, England’s best batsman and second only to Sachin Tendulkar in Test runs, is not known to get into spats with opponents. His temperament is often compared to Sachin Tendulkar’s calmness rather than Ricky Ponting’s aggression.
Root Lost His Wicket Cheaply
However, on Friday, Krishna said something that apparently triggered Root. Krishna, who took 4 wickets, wanted to break Root’s concentration by saying something that would prompt a rash shot and get him out.
That is exactly what happened. Soon after the incident, Root was trapped LBW by Siraj for 29 runs.
What Was Said On the Field?
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Prasidh Krishna said,
“All I said to Root was, ‘Wow, you’re looking really fit and in great form.’ But he got angry on hearing that. I had praised him, yet he started abusing me. I was really surprised by his reaction.”
“It Was Part of My Plan”: Krishna
Krishna also told journalists,
“It was part of my plan to disrupt Root’s focus. But I didn’t expect such a strong reaction from him. Whatever it may be, Root is a great player. We share a very good friendship off the field. I will say this much—Root is a batting legend.”
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