Indian captain Shubman Gill and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja resumed their solid partnership on Day 2 of the second Test at Edgbaston, Birmingham. Picking up from where they left off, the duo brought up their 100-run stand on the very first ball of the day.
Jadeja looked in fine touch as he completed his half-century in the fourth over, further strengthening India’s position. With Gill also batting confidently, India looked well-set at 330/5, aiming to take control in the crucial opening hour.
However, the calm was briefly disrupted when Jadeja got involved in a minor on-field spat with England pacer Chris Woakes. The incident occurred after Woakes delivered a short ball from around the wicket, which Jadeja softly tapped toward cover. He initially considered a quick single but turned back. In doing so, Woakes felt Jadeja had run on the danger area of the pitch with his spikes, potentially damaging it.
Woakes immediately made his displeasure known by pointing to the mark on the pitch, suggesting that Jadeja’s actions might offer him an unfair advantage later in the match. He approached the batter and gestured at the rough spot, visibly unhappy with the Indian all-rounder’s movement.
Jadeja, known for his calm but witty demeanor, responded coolly. He assured Woakes that he wouldn’t be bowling in that area anyway, dismissing the complaint. The exchange drew the attention of England skipper Ben Stokes, who was preparing for his next over.
Stokes also seemed annoyed by Jadeja’s remark and joined the conversation, but Jadeja quickly shut down the chatter, saying he was focused only on his batting.
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The moment became a hit on social media, especially when Stokes made a few animated facial expressions in response to Jadeja’s reply. Twitter users had a field day reacting to the light-hearted drama, which added a bit of spice to an otherwise intense Test contest.