Shubman Gill channelled his inner Virat Kohli with a fiery celebration, while Ravi Shastri played umpire in the commentary box — but it was all in vain, as Joe Root had the final say with a successful review.

Shubman Gill Virat-Style Celebration Turns to Despair After Root’s Reprieve

Shubman Gill-led India experienced a rollercoaster of emotions in the third and final session on Day 2 of the first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds. In a dramatic few minutes, the team swung from jubilation to disappointment. The moment came when India believed they had dismissed Joe Root. Umpire Paul Reiffel raised his finger following a sharp inswinger from Mohammed Siraj that struck Root on the pads. Shubman Gill celebrated with raw intensity, drawing comparisons to Virat Kohli’s trademark reactions.

However, Root reviewed the decision, and the replays revealed the ball was missing leg stump. The reversal silenced India’s celebrations and stunned everyone, including former head coach Ravi Shastri, who admitted he too thought Root was out. “Even my hand went up in the commentary box,” Shastri said, emphasizing how significant Root’s wicket is, given his history of punishing Indian bowlers.

Ian Ward, on air, remarked, “I think he was channelling a little bit of his inner Virat Kohli. The biggest cheer of the day here at Headingley came when the decision was overturned.”

Siraj had delivered a brilliant delivery that jagged back in, catching Root off guard as he attempted a flick. Though the fielders erupted in a massive appeal and Reiffel initially ruled in their favor, the DRS ultimately spared Root, keeping England’s hopes alive.

Shastri turns umpire in the comm box

The live broadcast then cut to visuals from the commentary box, where Ravi Shastri was seen raising his finger the moment Siraj trapped Root in front.

Reacting to the scene, Ian Ward quipped, “Umpire Ravi Shastri.”

Umpire Ravi Shashtri ☝️🤠 pic.twitter.com/i5FhqySP12
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 21, 2025

The live broadcast added a touch of humor to the tense moment when it cut to the commentary box, showing Ravi Shastri raising his finger just as Siraj trapped Joe Root in front. Ian Ward playfully dubbed him “Umpire Ravi Shastri,” to which the former India head coach responded with a grin, “Just goes to show how much I’ve watched Joe Root bat over the years as coach of India. Just keeps getting hundreds, so even my finger went up for it. And I’m sitting behind the umpire.”

As the drama settled, England ended Day 2 of the first Test at Headingley on 209/3, still trailing India by 262 runs. Ollie Pope stood firm with a century (100*), while Harry Brook remained unbeaten on 0. Jasprit Bumrah was the lone wicket-taker for India, claiming all three scalps.

Earlier in the match, India posted a formidable total of 471, thanks to centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant.