Shabbir Ahmed Accuses India of Ball Tampering in Fifth Test

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shabbir Ahmed has made serious allegations against the Indian cricket team, claiming they engaged in ball tampering during the fifth and final Test match against England at The Oval. India emerged victorious in a nail-biting match that ended with a margin of just six runs, thereby leveling the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series at 2-2.

Shabbir expressed skepticism about the ability of Indian bowlers, particularly Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, to swing an 80-over-old ball effectively on the fifth day of the match. He suggested that the team may have used Vaseline to maintain the ball’s shine and called for the International Cricket Council (ICC) to send the ball for laboratory testing.

“I think India used Vaseline. After 80 overs, the ball still shined like new. The umpire should send this ball to the lab for examination,” Shabbir stated on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

Despite overcast conditions that typically favor seam bowling and a pitch conducive to fast bowlers, the Indian pacers managed to dismiss England’s last seven batters for only 66 runs. Shabbir declined to credit their skill, instead attributing their success to potential foul play.

On the final day, Siraj showcased his bowling prowess by dismissing several key England players with exceptional swing deliveries, while Krishna effectively took out the tailenders with precise pitching. Notably, India opted not to take the new ball even after 80 overs, continuing to utilize the older one that remained effective.

This incident is not the first instance of Indian bowlers facing accusations of tampering. During the 2023 ODI World Cup, Pakistan’s Hasan Raza claimed that India was provided with a “different ball.” Furthermore, in the 2024 T20 World Cup, which India won, former cricketer Inzamam-ul-Haq accused Arshdeep Singh of ball tampering. However, Mohammed Shami had strongly denied such allegations at that time.

As the cricketing world reacts to these allegations, the ICC may face pressure to investigate the claims made by Shabbir Ahmed, which could have implications for the integrity of the sport.