Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has ignited a controversy by accusing England's Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer of deliberately attempting to injure Jasprit Bumrah during the third Test match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 at Lord's. The Test, which England won by a narrow margin of 22 runs, saw Bumrah facing a barrage of short-pitched deliveries, leading Kaif to believe that the England duo's intention went beyond merely dismissing the Indian pacer.
Kaif, speaking on his YouTube channel, claimed that Stokes and Archer had a premeditated plan to target Bumrah with bouncers, with the aim of hitting him on the finger or shoulder to potentially rule him out of the remaining matches of the series. He said, "Stokes and Archer planned to bowl bouncers against Bumrah. If he doesn't get out, hit him on the finger or shoulder to injure him. This stays in the mind of bowlers to injure the main bowler, whom our batters find tough to bat against. This was the plan, which worked later (to get him out)". Bumrah, known for his lethal bowling, had earlier troubled the English batsmen, and Kaif suggests that the bouncer strategy was a calculated move to weaken the Indian bowling attack.
During India's chase of 193 in the second innings, Bumrah exhibited resilience by facing 54 deliveries and forming a crucial partnership with Ravindra Jadeja. Despite scoring only five runs, Bumrah's contribution was significant in India's effort to get close to the target. However, the constant stream of bouncers from Stokes and Archer raised eyebrows, leading to Kaif's accusation. Eventually, Bumrah was dismissed by a bouncer from Stokes.
Kaif also criticized Mohammed Siraj for requesting a ball change in the first innings, which he believes disrupted India's momentum after Bumrah's early breakthroughs. According to Kaif, this decision allowed English batsmen Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse toForm a crucial partnership. He stated, "Siraj is always emotional, so I think approving his call and changing the ball (was a mistake). When the ball got changed, it didn't move". Smith and Carse capitalized on the change, helping England post a competitive total.
Furthermore, Kaif expressed his disapproval of Shubman Gill's conduct after dismissing Zak Crawley. Gill's aggressive celebration was deemed unnecessary by Kaif, who felt that it was not the appropriate time for such displays. "If Crawley hadn't got out on Day 3, he could've got dismissed on the next day. Was he in good form? He is no Joe Root. It was a loss for us. Gill lost his cool, Siraj joined him and then Reddy celebrated after getting him out. You can show aggression but you need to do that at the right time. They didn't choose the right time," Kaif added.
With England leading the five-match series 2-1, the stakes are high for the remaining Tests. The fourth Test begins on July 23. Kaif's allegations have added fuel to the fire, raising questions about the spirit of the game and the strategies employed by the England team.
