Is Bumrah quitting Test cricket? Kaif sparks debate after pace ace’s dip in Manchester

Mohammad Kaif has raised fresh concerns about Jasprit Bumrah’s Test future after the pacer struggled in the Manchester Test and picked up an ankle injury

Indian cricket may be staring at another major Test retirement, if recent comments by former cricketer Mohammad Kaif are anything to go by. Speaking just days after India’s struggles in the Manchester Test, Kaif suggested that Jasprit Bumrah could soon walk away from red-ball cricket.

The pace spearhead looked far from his best at Old Trafford, managing just one wicket across two days while bowling at a reduced pace of 125-130 kmph—well below his usual venom. To make matters worse, Bumrah rolled his ankle while descending stairs on Day 3, ruling him out from bowling with the second new ball.

“According to me, Bumrah may quit Test cricket in the coming times,” Kaif said in a video on social media. “He’s struggling with his body. His speed is missing. He’s a proud cricketer. If he feels he can’t give 100 per cent, he may just walk away.”

Bumrah’s sole scalp during England’s mammoth innings was that of Jamie Smith—caught off a dying edge by a diving Dhruv Jurel. Once feared for his lethal yorkers and searing pace, Bumrah’s laboured spells in Manchester were a stark contrast to his prime.

Kaif’s remarks carry added weight given his earlier concerns about overburdening Bumrah. Months ago, he had publicly advised against naming the pacer as India’s full-time Test captain, warning that the added responsibility could jeopardize his fitness and career longevity. “Don’t kill the golden goose,” he had posted on X.

Doubling down this week, Kaif said, “Even if he’s picking wickets, he’s not the same Bumrah. I don’t think you’ll see him in future Tests.”

India bowling coach Morne Morkel confirmed the ankle injury after play on Day 3, saying Bumrah “rolled his ankle” and couldn’t bowl at full intensity. While Morkel claimed both Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj—who also suffered a niggle—were “okay,” team insiders say Bumrah is unlikely to be risked for the final Test at The Oval on July 31.

That match could be decisive for India’s World Test Championship campaign—and perhaps signal the beginning of the end of Bumrah’s red-ball journey.

The timing of Kaif’s comments has also reopened debate around pacer workloads, especially in the aftermath of the IPL. With senior figures like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and R. Ashwin already absent from India’s red-ball lineup, Bumrah’s possible exit could leave a gaping hole in the Test squad.

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