A day after India’s close defeat in the thrilling Test match at Lord’s, players of the men’s and women’s Indian cricket teams held an audience with King Charles III at St. James’s Palace on Tuesday.
The king was spotted talking to men’s team captain Shubman Gill about India’s close loss and also greeted skipper Harmanpreet Kaur, who had taken the women’s team to a 3-2 T20I series win against England last month.
King Charles even mentioned Mohammed Siraj’s unhappy dismissal, how it happened. The teams then took a team photo with the king.
When this photo made it online, Mohammed Siraj fans right away focused on the fast bowler. They couldn’t but observe that Siraj was serious-looking and didn’t smile, so there was good-natured speculation. Was he still pouting over the game? Was he scheming a comeback?
my blud is still traumatised pic.twitter.com/neqGa2o1am
— Pallavi Anand (@PallaviSAnand) July 15, 2025
Siraj’s heartbreak
On the last day of the third Test at Lord’s, India had a daunting task of chasing 193. A collapse in batting left them tottering at 82/7. When it appeared the match was getting away, Ravindra Jadeja was given useful support by the tailenders. Jasprit Bumrah stood firm for 54 deliveries for a mere 5, and Siraj gritted his teeth, surviving 29 deliveries and allowing India to stay in the game as Jadeja batted on with stoic resilience.
But on ball number 30, disaster befell Siraj. England’s Shoaib Bashir bowled a ball that Siraj had defended well. The ball spun back, rolled onto the stumps, and knocked off a bail, ending India’s determined chase abruptly.
SIRAJ IN TEARS 💔 pic.twitter.com/SqTFBng5fe
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) July 14, 2025
The look of disappointment on Siraj’s face was clear. English players walked up to applaud his brave attempt, offering him words of consolation and admiration for his never-say-die spirit.
Ben Stokes encouraging Siraj who was in tears after the defeat. 💔 pic.twitter.com/vk0MLA8n5B
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 14, 2025
Siraj Finally Speaks Up
Ending his silence following the close match, Siraj posted on Instagram, with glimpses from the iconic battle at Lord’s. “Some matches stay with you, not for the outcome, but for what they teach,” he captioned, sharing highlights that included images of his struggles and that last agonizing moment.
ICC Penalty Adds to his Woes
To further compound the pacer’s woes, Siraj was subsequently fined by the ICC for violating Level 1 of its Code of Conduct in the course of England’s second innings. Accepting the charge, Siraj was fined 15% of his match fee for his on-field conduct, reported by both the on-field and TV umpires.
India were ultimately dismissed for 170 in their second innings, giving England a 2-1 advantage in the five-match Test series. The tourists will look to level the series when they travel to Old Trafford in Manchester on July 23.
