Ravindra Jadeja ‘completely ignored’ umpire at Lord’s, reveals commentator after match: ‘Don’t know where it comes from’

Ravindra Jadeja played a key role with the bat in the Lord's Test, staying unbeaten at 61 in the second innings which kept India's hopes alive for a win.

The third Test between India and England had it all: tension, aggression, and drama, both on and off the field. Five days of tightly contested cricket saw a fitting end with the hosts clinching a dramatic 22-run win at Lord's. One of the major subplots, not just during the Lord's Test but the series overall, however, has been the issue surrounding slow over rates. The third Test, in particular, saw delays in play on multiple occasions due to concerns surrounding the quality of the ball or individual-related breaks.

London: India's Ravindra Jadeja reacts during the fifth day of the third test cricket match between India and England (PTI)

Former England batter Michael Atherton has also voiced concerns surrounding the “authority” of the umpire coming into question, pointing to an off-camera incident involving India’s Ravindra Jadeja as a troubling example. Citing the ongoing over-rate controversy, Atherton questioned whether on-field officials are now being sidelined in key moments and losing control over players’ conduct.

“The focus is more on the umpires than the players, for the umpires to just get a grip. I don't know where the diminishing of umpires' authority comes from. Maybe it's the post-DRS thing,” Atherton, who is also a part of the broadcast team, told Sky Sports Cricket.

"Pre-DRS, the umpires were almost omnipotent. Since DRS, maybe that authority has just withered away. There was one point where Jaddu was having a drink, and the umpire was pointing towards the watch and was telling him to get on with it. And he just completely ignored him!

“So I think there's room for the game to be sped up a bit, without compromising the quality.”

It is unclear whether Atherton spoke about the first or the second innings; Jadeja, however, played a key role with the bat for India in the Lord's Test. It was thanks to Jadeja that the third Test saw a dramatic finish, with the all-rounder staying unbeaten on 61 and leading India's fight alongside tailenders in the 193-run chase.

Taking the crease with India reeling at 71/5 in the chase, Jadeja forged gritty stands with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Jasprit Bumrah to keep the Indian hopes alive. He also took charge of the run-scoring with India's No. 11, Mohammed Siraj, but the latter's unfortunate dismissal led to the visitors' heartbreaking defeat.

Fourth Test begins July 23

With England taking a 2-1 lead in the five-Test series, Shubman Gill's men face a must-win situation to keep their chances of a series win alive. Team India took part in its first training session in Manchester on Thursday.