Former Pakistan pacer Shabbir Ahmed has accused Indian fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna of ball tampering during the fifth and final Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy against England at The Oval.
He alleged that the Indian players used Vaseline to maintain the ball’s shine, urging the International Cricket Council (ICC) to send the ball used on Days 4 and 5 for lab examination.
India clinched a dramatic six-run victory in the Test to level the five-match series 2-2. Siraj’s late spell on Day 5 was particularly decisive, with reverse swing troubling England’s tailenders. Skipper Shubman Gill opted not to take the second new ball, trusting his pacers to exploit the old one—and it paid off.
However, Ahmed was unconvinced by the bowling brilliance and suggested foul play. “I think India used Vaseline. After 80+ overs, the ball still shone like new. The umpire should send this ball to the lab,” Ahmed wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
This isn’t the first time such allegations have surfaced. During the 2023 ODI World Cup, former Pakistan cricketer Hasan Raza made similar claims about Indian bowlers receiving “different” balls. In 2024, during the T20 World Cup, ex-Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq accused Arshdeep Singh of tampering—a claim dismissed by Mohammed Shami as baseless.
On Day 5 at The Oval, Siraj and Krishna were instrumental in India’s comeback, taking seven wickets for just 66 runs. The ball movement was attributed by experts to favorable overcast conditions and a responsive pitch, but Ahmed believes external substances may have contributed.
There has been no response yet from the ICC, BCCI, or the Indian team regarding Ahmed’s remarks.
