Picture Credit: Twitter
The ongoing fifth and final Test match between England and India is getting more interesting as the match is heading into the final day of the game. Ben Stokes-led side needs 478 to chase down to level the five-match series, while Jasprit Bumrah-led pace attack will leave no stone unturned to restrict the hosts from reaching the target. The match has been an entertaining affair as it has brought the best out of both the quality teams but it would be fair to say that the visitors are in a dominant position at this stage.
While players from both teams played some quality cricket in the middle, a verbal spat between Virat Kohli and Jonny Bairstow on Day 3 of the Test match hogged a lot of limelight. It all happened on Day 3 when Indian bowlers were firming their grip in the game and had already seen the back of their top order. Mohammed Shami was turning out to be a tough challenge for Jonny Bairstow who seemed to be struggling in the middle.
Amidst this, former Indian skipper Virat Kohli, who was stationed at slip was constantly trying to sledge and get on the nerve of Bairstow. While Bairstow responded to Kohli, the Indian batter could not control his anger and gestured to the Englishman to shut up his mouth and focus on his batting. Although the short verbal spat was sorted with the intervention of on-field umpires, the incident surely inspired Bairstow as he smashed his 11th century and third on the trot in red-ball cricket.
After the game, Bairstow opened up on the incident and claimed that everything is sorted between the cricketers as both are mature enough and playing with a lot of passion for the game and nation. "As I mentioned earlier, we have nothing going on against each other. We both know each other and have been playing against each other for quite some time now. I am pretty sure we will be able to have dinner," he said.
Bairstow further suggested that 11 players are playing on each side and all of them are extremely passionate to do well for their country. "However, it was a great crack there. It is fantastic to play against a quality side like India as they pose a tough challenge to opponents and push us to do well. And like I said, you’ve got to absorb those tough periods and try and shift and wrestle momentum back at others,” the Englishman added.