Ben Stokes & Jofra Archer wanted to injure Jasprit Bumrah during Lord’s vigil, claims Kaif

KL Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja were Team India’s only batters who faced more deliveries than Jasprit Bumrah during the 193-run chase against England at Lord’s. With the visitors 8 wickets down and 81 runs still needed to win, the fast bowler arrived in the middle.

In his last three innings, Bumrah has scored ducks. No one expected India to even last 5-10 overs. But Bumrah had come out with determination. He alone faced 9 overs and formed a 35-run stand with Jadeja. Together, they frustrated England, chipping away at the target slowly and batting for 22 overs.

England tried to hurt Bumrah?

He blocked and blocked. England quickly grew irritated and decided they’d bounce him out. Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, and Ben Stokes aimed at his head. He was hit on his finger, but braved on. In the end, it was a bouncer that got Bumrah out and ended India’s hope of victory.

People appreciated Jadeja, Bumrah, and Mohammed Siraj for their valiant efforts. England’s bowlers were lauded for defending 193 runs. But former Indian batter Mohammad Kaif thinks that Stokes’ men didn’t just want to win but to break India. He alleges that English pacers deliberately bowled short to Bumrah, not to dismiss him but to hurt/injure him.

“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),” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.

This tactic is frowned upon in cricket. In the 1980s, the West Indies fast bowlers often tried to hurt their counterparts, as they wouldn’t be able to bowl anymore. We don’t know whether England tried to injure Bumrah, or the short-ball tactic only came about as the ball wasn’t doing tracks off the surface.