Akash Deep was pulled away by KL Rahul after the pacer put his arm around Ben Duckett's shoulder.
Duckett and his fellow English opener Zak Crawley took the Indian bowling attack to the cleaners on a seaming pitch, adding 92 runs in just 77 deliveries.
Akash drew the first blood for India by removing Duckett on 43 (38 balls). Following the dismissal, the right-arm seamer put a hand around the southpaw’s shoulders and exchanged a few words, much to the surprise of the fans and analysts alike.
Akash’s act also drew criticism from Sky Sports commentators such as Ricky Ponting, Michael Atherton and Dinesh Karthik.
In fact, Ponting admitted that he wouldn't have refrained from landing a right hook if Akash had done something similar to him during his playing days.
"I can think of a few batsmen down the years that would take umbrage at this, and I'm looking very much in your direction. That would have been a Ponting right hook, wouldn't it?" asked sports presenter Ian Ward in a Sky Sports Lunch break show on Day 2.
"Probably yeah, probably," replied Ponting.
Ben Duckett took Akash Deep's send-off rather sportingly while walking back to the dressing room.
Ponting was impressed with how Duckett handled things after being dismissed. "Although I mean, when I saw it, I just thought they must have been mates or played against each other somewhere or together. I would like to have something like that. I mean, you don't see that every day, maybe in a local park game or not in a test match that's been played as fiercely as this series has been played. I love the way that Ben Duckett plays his cricket. I think I like him more now to not to be able to react to that," the Australian legend added.
Coming to the Oval Test, India’s first innings folded for 224 in the first half hour of the morning session on Day 2. In reply, the hosts got off to a blazing start, with Duckett and Crawley wreaking havoc.
However, India’s pace attack, led by Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, sparked a stunning turnaround. England, who were 109 for 1 at lunch, were bowled out for 247 in the final session.
Siraj (4-86 in 16.2 overs) and Prasidh (4-62 in 16 overs) both claimed four wickets each as the visitors conceded only a slender lead of 23 runs.
By stumps, India had reached 75/2 in just 18 overs, turning the deficit to a handy lead of 52 runs. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (51* off 49 balls) and nightwatchman Akash Deep (2*) will resume batting for the tourists on Day 3.