India’s famous win at Trent Bridge in 2007 that helped them win the only series in the country this century was marred by controversy, with Zaheer Khan at the receiving end of England’s tactics of throwing jelly beans on the wicket to distract the batsman in the second innings.

To understand the context of the incident, we have to step back and take a look at how the first Test of the series at Lord’s panned out. The visitors had narrowly escaped with a draw in the game with rain ensuring further play was impossible on the last day after India had been reduced to 282-9 whilst chasing 380. The frustration of the hosts after being robbed of a deserving win spilled out at Nottingham, where tempers constantly flared and ended with the ‘Jelly Bean Gate’ when Zaheer walked out to bat.

Right from the toss, the game had not gone in favour of the hosts at Trent Bridge, who were dismissed for 198 with Alastair Cook top-scoring with 43 in the first innings. By the time India walked out to bat, the wicket had considerably flattened out, and the visiting batters made the most of the conditions on offer. Five of the top six players scored a half-century for India, which allowed them to post 481 on the board.

The spark, however, was ignited when Zaheer walked out to bat at 464-7 and soon pointed his bat to jelly beans that had been allegedly thrown on the wicket by the English slip cordon. Kevin Pietersen was the first player in the attacking line by the India quick, who questioned why a jelly bean had been placed on the wicket, close to the crease.

Chris Tremlett, later, relived the memory of the incident and stated, “When you’re in the field for two days you sometimes need to have a bit of fun, introduce something to ease some tension – it was just a shame that this was at the expense of the opposition and, to be honest, we probably chose the wrong man.”

He admitted that, though Pietersen was accused of the prank, the idea was the making of Ian Bell. “He wouldn’t say much but he would always be getting up to something. I think there was a lot of blame flying around at the time. I was bowling that over and nothing was mentioned, there certainly wasn’t a plan to put the batsman off, I think it was something off the cuff. A lot of players would have pockets full of sweets to keep them going during the day. I think Belly decided to put his to a slightly different use.”

Zaheer, however, did not find humour in the situation, especially on a day when both teams had been involved in heavy sledging. “When I got to the crease there were some jelly beans there,” he said. “I just swept one off the wicket, and when I played the next ball there were some more, so obviously someone was chucking them from behind. I was upset about it. I went to speak to them and asked what was going on.”

Adding that the incident was “insulting” for him, Zaheer vowed to bowl an inspired spell in England’s second innings. “I didn’t know exactly where they were coming from, and maybe I picked the wrong one (player to charge at), but they definitely came from a fielder and I just felt it was insulting. When I go out on the cricket field I am serious. This is a Test match we are playing. It definitely inspired me to do well.”

Though Zaheer could only make 10 of 12 with the ball, he unleashed his fiery self with the ball as the fired-up Indian picked up a five-for to further rub salt on the opponent’s wounds. England did end up scoring 355 in their second innings, with Michael Vaughan hitting 124, but India’s mammoth first innings score meant that the visitors needed just 73 for a win.

The jelly bean incident, however, remained well under wraps in the days that followed, with Pietersen and Cook remaining the prime suspects. The incident prompted then-skipper Michael Vaughan to issue an apology, even as news of indiscipline in the English camp did the rounds.

“….two jelly beans were left on the floor by the stumps during the drinks interval when the wicket fell,” said Vaughan. “I guess one of the guys might have left them as a prank for the new batsmen. If that offended Zaheer, I apologise. But we weren’t throwing jelly beans from the slip cordon.”

With the next game at The Oval ending in a draw, it would be fair to say that India had hardly enjoyed a sweeter series victory.

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