Kaif Downplays Stokes’ Performance in First Test

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif recently expressed reservations regarding the leadership qualities of England’s captain, Ben Stokes, citing questionable decision-making during a match.

Kaif took to social media to challenge Stokes’s choice to initiate batting under favorable conditions and the perceived lack of strategic field placement during the second Test in Birmingham.

“I’ve never grasped the widespread praise for Ben Stokes as captain. He opts to bowl on a batting-friendly pitch and then omits an extra slip fielder when edges are prevalent,” Kaif stated.

He further examined Stokes’s impact in England’s triumph in the series’ initial match in Leeds.

England’s batting lineup demonstrated resilience, posting a total of 467 in response to India’s 471 in the first innings, subsequently achieving a successful chase of a 371-run target.

Ben Duckett played a crucial role with a century in the chase, complemented by Ollie Pope’s significant score in the first innings.

Stokes, who secured four wickets in the initial innings, contributed scores of 20 and 33 with the bat. Kaif suggested these contributions were insufficient, attributing the victory more to the batting performance.

“The batsmen secured England’s win in the first Test, while Stokes’s individual score remained modest. Please point out any overlooked instances of his strategic brilliance.”

India held a commanding lead of 484 runs at Tea on the fourth day. Shubman Gill and Ravindra Jadeja remained strong, with scores of 100 and 25 respectively.