Table of Contents
Tempers flared at Lord’s on Day 4 of the third Test between England and India, and India’s fiery pacer Mohammed Siraj was right in the middle of it.
Mohammed Siraj’s fierce celebration after the fall of England’s opener Ben Duckett
In the opening stages of England’s second innings on the fourth day, Siraj struck a critical blow, removing opener Ben Duckett with a short delivery that was mistimed straight into the hands of the fielder at midwicket. But what followed the wicket stirred as much controversy as celebration. Siraj, charged with adrenaline, stormed down the pitch and let out a loud, animated roar, right in Duckett’s face. The seamer didn’t stop there. In a moment that would soon go viral across platforms, Siraj made physical contact with the batter by brushing shoulders with him while Duckett walked back, visibly annoyed. The act, although brief, was loaded with aggression, and it didn’t take long for match officials to take note. The International Cricket Council (ICC) wasted no time in penalizing Siraj’s conduct.
ICC reacts swiftly on Siraj’s aggressive tone on Day 4 of ENG vs IND Lord’s Test
Siraj was fined 15% of his match fee and officially reprimanded for breaching Article 2.5 of the ICC Code of Conduct, which pertains to “using language, actions or gestures which disparage or which could provoke an aggressive reaction from a batter upon his/her dismissal,” This wasn’t Siraj’s first brush with the disciplinary panel. Having already received a demerit point during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, this incident marked his second such offence in the last 24 months. Consequently, another demerit point was added to his record.
Under the ICC’s disciplinary system, accumulating four demerit points within a two-year window triggers an automatic one-match suspension, meaning Siraj now finds himself walking a fine line for the remainder of the series and beyond. With England and India deadlocked at 387 apiece in the first innings and the Test entering a nail-biting final day, Siraj’s aggression, both with the ball and beyond, has become one of the defining images of this dramatic clash. As India ready to resume Day 5 at 58/4 chasing 193, the stakes, on the pitch and in the disciplinary books, have never been higher.
Also WATCH: ENG vs IND: Go on, throw it! – Akash Deep dares Brydon Carse in explosive face-off on Day 4 of Lord’s Test
