NEW DELHI: Former India batter Mohammad Kaif sparked debate with a bold statement, suggesting that Jasprit Bumrah may soon walk away from Test cricket. Kaif questioned whether the star pacer can continue in the demanding format, pointing to signs of physical struggle and a noticeable dip in intensity.
In the ongoing Test at Old Trafford, Bumrah has picked up just one wicket across two days of play.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!His pace has also raised eyebrows — he’s breached the 140 kmph mark only once so far in the match. To make matters worse, he reportedly sustained a minor injury while walking down the stairs at the venue.
"Jasprit Bumrah. Mujhe lagta hai ki aane wale Test matches mein aapko unhe khelte hue na dikhein, aur ho sakta hai woh retirement bhi le lein. Shareer se woh joojh rahe hain, dheemi ball daal rahe hain, raftaar dikhi nahi is Test match mein, aur woh khuddar bante ja rahe hain. Agar unhe lagega ki main 100% nahi de pa raha hoon, desh ke liye, main jeeta nahi paa raha, wickets nahi le paa raha hoon, toh woh khud hi mana kar denge – aisi meri feeling hai. Aur agar samay na mila, woh alag baat hai. [I feel that in the upcoming Test matches, you may not see him play, and perhaps, he might even retire. He’s struggling physically, bowling slower deliveries, and his pace hasn’t been visible in this Test match. He seems to be becoming more self-aware and principled. If he feels he can’t give 100% for the country, that he’s no longer winning games or taking wickets, I believe he’ll step away on his own. That’s my gut feeling. And if he doesn’t get time to recover, that’s another issue]," Kaif said on his social media handle while posting a video.
"Par jo raftaar thi – 130, 125 ki speed se ball daal rahe hain. Aur jo wicket mili – ek aage ka catch jo keeper ne liya tha – woh bhi aage dive maar kar pakda. Fit Bumrah bhai yahaan out karte hain, yahaan par keeper catch pakadta hai, itni raftaar se ball jaati hai ke batsman ko hawa bhi nahi lagti – chaahe Joe Root ho ya koi bhi. Aise bowler jab chahein batsman ko out kar sakte hain. [But the pace he once had – now he’s bowling at 130, 125 km/h. Even the wicket he got – the catch that was taken by the keeper diving forward – that wasn’t the Bumrah we know. A fully fit Bumrah dismisses the batter outright – the keeper just finishes the job. His pace used to be such that batters like Joe Root didn’t even feel the air of the ball before they were out. Bowlers like him could dismiss anyone whenever they wanted.]"
"Par mujhe lagta hai ki wohi hai – shiddat, desh ke liye khelne ki chahat. Par unka shareer unka saath nahi de raha. Fitness ke maamle mein woh har chuke hain. Is Test match mein unka na chalna saaf taur par yeh sabit karta hai ki aage dikkat aayegi, aur ho sakta hai Test matches mein aap unhe na dekhein. [But now, the intensity and desire to play for the country are still there, yet the body isn’t supporting him. He’s lost the battle with his fitness. His performance in this Test match clearly shows that challenges lie ahead, and maybe you won’t see him in Tests anymore.]"
"Pehle Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, R Ashwin nahi hain. Ab shayad Bumrah ke bina bhi – jo humare Hindustani fans hain – unhe aadat dalni padegi. Bhai, mujhe lagta hai ki aapko unke bina Test match dekhne ki aadat daalni hogi. [First, there’s no Virat Kohli, no Rohit Sharma, no R Ashwin. And now, perhaps Indian fans will have to prepare themselves for Test cricket without Bumrah too. I genuinely feel that you may need to get used to watching Test matches without him.]"
"Dua karta hoon jo main keh raha hoon, meri prediction galat ho. Par jo maine is Test match mein dekha – mujhe laga ki woh enjoy nahi kar rahe hain. Bilkul bhi enjoy nahi kar rahe. Woh shareer se haare hue hain. Zehan bilkul tez hai, jazba wahi hai – par shareer saath nahi de raha hai. Toh phir aap kya kar sakte ho? [I hope and pray that I’m wrong, and this prediction doesn’t come true. But from what I’ve seen in this Test, he doesn’t look like he’s enjoying it anymore. Not at all. He’s physically defeated. His mind is still sharp, his passion remains, but his body isn’t keeping up. So what can you really do?]" he said.
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