Ball tampering row: India sees no deliberate attempt from England

The
England
team
had
caused
a
flutter
when
two
of
its
players
tried
playing
a
bit
of
football
with
the
red
cherry
during
the
post-lunch
session
on
the
fourth
day
of
the
Test
match.

A
footage
from
the
official
broadcasters
emerged
where
one
England
player
passed
the
ball
to
another,
who
used
his
spikes
to
trap
it,
raising
a
social
media
storm
as
accusations
of
ball
tampering
flew
thick
and
fast.

England
Ball
Tampering:
Mark
Wood
caught
on
camera
stepping
on
ball

However,
the
Indian
team
sought
to
clear
the
air
with
Rathour
coming
out
with
a
statement
during
the
post-day
virtual
press
conference.

“We
saw
it
much
later
but
I
don’t
think
it
was
deliberate,”
Rathour
said
while
making
it
clear
that
Team
India
has
not
lodged
an
official
complaint
with
the
International
Cricket
Council
(ICC)
match
referee
Chris
Broad.

The
incident
was
recorded
in
the
35th
over
of
the
Indian
second
innings,
bowled
by
Ollie
Robinson.

The
footage
did
not
show
the
face
of
the
players,
though
there
were
unconfirmed
reports
that
one
was
Mark
Wood.
The
matter
did
not
escalate
and
the
umpires
did
not
change
the
ball.

In
fact,
when
an
Indian
fan
asked
Stuart
Broad
on
social
media
if
it
was
intentional,
the
injured
England
seamer
replied:
“Of
course,
it
wasn’t.”

Even
if
it
wasn’t
intentional,
the
match
referee
or
the
umpires
should
have
stepped
in
and
change
the
ball.
Isn’t
it
how
it
should
be
done,
Stuart?

—
Subhayan
Chakraborty
(@CricSubhayan)

August
15,
2021

Broad’s
explanation
was
that
if
the
umpires
needed
to
check
the
ball
after
the
particular
incident
to
ensure
it
has
not
been
fiddled
with,
then
every
six
would
warrant
a
ball
check.

Depends
If
it
was
damaged?
Exactly
the
same
if
it
was
hit
into
the
stands.
If
it
didn’t
make
a
mark,
why
change
it
?

—
Stuart
Broad
(@StuartBroad8)

August
15,
2021

In
fact,
when
an
Indian
fan
asked
Stuart
Broad
on
social
media
if
it
was
intentional,
the
injured
England
seamer
replied:
“Of
course,
it
wasn’t.”

You
are
swearing
at
me?
Like
you
did
to
Bumrah?
This
isn’t
your
backyard:
Virat
Kohli
tells
James
Anderson

The
second
Test
match
had
its
fare
share
of
controversies
with
Indian
skipper
Virat
Kohli
getting
into
a
heated
argument
with
England
fast
bowler
during
the
penultimate
day.

And
then
on
the
final
day,
India’s
pace
spearhead
Jasprit
Bumrah
was
at
the
receiving
end
of
some
verbal
volleys
from
English
camp.

Jasprit
Bumrah
battles
bouncers,
verbal
volleys
from
Wood,
Buttler

But
Bumrah
responded
in
style
by
playing
a
gritty
innings
with
the
bat
and
was
involved
in
an
unbroken
ninth-wicket
partnership
of
89
with
fellow
pacer
Mohammad
Shami.