Pure cinema: The one-over drama at Lord's Test

A finely poised Test match between India and England erupted in its closing moments on Friday, as a furious confrontation between India captain Shubman Gill and England opener Zak Crawley brought a simmering day of cricket to a boil.

The flashpoint occurred when Gill, visibly incensed by what he perceived as deliberate time-wasting, walked up to Crawley and bluntly told him to "grow some b**ls!"

The drama unfolded in the final minutes of Day 3, with India's pacers scheduled to bowl two overs in the fading evening light. As Jasprit Bumrah began the first over of England’s second innings, Crawley continually backed away, a tactic that successfully ran down the clock and ensured only one of the two overs could be bowled.

After backing away from a couple of deliveries, the tension escalated on the fifth ball of the over. Bumrah's delivery caught Crawley on the gloves, prompting the opener to immediately call for the physio. This act proved to be the final straw for the Indian side.

The furious Indian team, led by Gill, walked straight up to the batter. The captain sarcastically asked if Crawley was okay before making an 'X' sign with his hands toward the pavilion, a clear and derisive suggestion that Crawley wanted to retire hurt. Crawley responded animatedly, with finger-pointing ensuing before his opening partner, Ben Duckett, intervened to calm Gill down. Bumrah, meanwhile, offered only a cold stare.

The over concluded with a peach of a delivery that beat the bat, a fittingly feisty end to a day that saw the Lord's crowd jeer the players for the constant delays.

The animosity spilled over as the players walked off, with Mohammed Siraj and Crawley exchanging more words before Duckett again stepped in to pull his partner away.

With most former England cricketers backing their own, Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar also defended Crawley's actions. According to the original Little Master, openers, who lack the cushion of a nightwatchman, are reluctant to bat in difficult conditions and that Crawley was well within his rights to call for medical attention after being struck on his hand by a Bumrah delivery.

At the close of a day defined by its fiery conclusion, the Test match itself is finely balanced on a knife's edge, with England holding a precarious two-run lead, setting the stage for a fascinating final two days.