Ben Duckett of England is escorted from the field by Akash Deep after Duckett was caught during the second day of the fifth Rothesay Test Match between England and India at The Kia Oval on August 1, 2025 in London, England

India seamer Akash Deep has faced criticism for his "arm round the shoulder" send-off to Ben Duckett on day two (August 1) of the fifth Test against England at The Oval.

India, resuming on their overnight score of 204-6, were skittled out for 224 in less than half an hour on day two’s first session. England's Gus Atkinson, playing his first match of the series, finished with a five-wicket haul.

5th Test, England vs India

LIVE
England vs India | India tour of England, 2025 | 5th Test
The Oval, London
Thursday, July 31st, 2025 10:00am (UTC:+0000)
13.61C, Scattered Clouds, 2.71 meter/sec
ENG England
ENG England
247
(51.2) RR: 4.81

    vs

    IND India
    IND India
    224
    (69.4) RR: 3.22
    75/2
    (18.0) RR: 4.17

      England's reply began dramatically. The third over from Akash Deep to Duckett produced an enthralling battle. The left-hander survived five testing deliveries - taking body blows and even lobbing one just short of slips - before audaciously reverse-scooping the final ball for six. This sparked a gripping duel that Duckett dominated until Deep's revenge came in the 13th over.

      By then, England had raced to 92-0, with Duckett on 43 off 33. Akash Deep bowled four consecutive dot balls before Duckett's attempted reverse scoop edged through to keeper Dhruv Jurel, ending his explosive 38-ball eventful stay, comprising five fours and two sixes.

      After having his revenge, Akash Deep placed his hands on the Duckett’s shoulders while the batter was heading into the dressing room, sharing a brief smile and some words. Duckett appeared unimpressed by the exchange, with KL Rahul eventually stepping in to drag the seamer away.

      Under Article 2.12 of the ICC's playing conditions, any inappropriate physical contact during an international match is prohibited.

      The incident didn’t sit well with many, as social media users criticised Akash Deep for “seriously crossing a line” with his antics.

      England reached lunch at 109-1 after 15 overs. Zak Crawley was equally impressive, racing to a 42-ball fifty. The opener eventually departed for 64 off 57 balls (14 fours), leaving England at 129-2 - just 95 runs behind India's first-innings total.

      Follow Wisden for all England vs India updates, including live scores, latest news, team lineups, schedule and more. The live streaming details for the ENG vs IND series in India, UK, USA and rest of the world can be found here. For Wisden quizzes, head here.