Former Indian cricket star Mohammad Kaif has spoken out against Ben Stokes. He questioned why people praise Stokes so much as England’s captain. Kaif thinks Stokes makes poor decisions during important cricket matches.
The criticism came after England’s second Test performance against India. Stokes led his team badly according to Kaif’s harsh comments. Many cricket experts are now discussing these strong words about Stokes.
Kaif has never been shy about sharing his honest cricket opinions. This time he targeted Stokes’ leadership skills during the ongoing series. His comments have sparked debates among cricket fans worldwide.
Kaif Questions Stokes’ Captaincy Decisions
Kaif pointed out several mistakes Stokes made in the second Test. The biggest error was choosing to bowl first after winning the toss. This decision backfired completely for England during the match.
“I have never understood the hype around Ben Stokes the captain. On a flat track with sun shining he decides to bowl, today with some life in pitch edges flying but no extra slip. Batsmen took England to win in first Test but Stokes didn’t score many. Please inform if I have missed any of his hidden leadership master stroke,” wrote Kaif on X.
The pitch was flat and perfect for batting first. Any experienced captain would have chosen to bat on this surface. Stokes’ choice gave India a huge advantage from the very beginning.
Also Read: IND vs ENG 3rd Test: Shubman Gill Confirms Bumrah’s Return to India’s XI at Lord’s
Kaif believes good captains study pitch conditions before making important decisions. Stokes failed to do this basic homework according to the former player. This poor planning cost England dearly in the match.
The Indian team took full advantage of Stokes’ wrong decision. They scored massive runs and put England under tremendous pressure.
India Dominates After Stokes’ Poor Toss Decision
India posted a huge total of 608 runs in their second innings. This happened mainly because Stokes gave them the chance to bat first. The Indian batsmen made England pay for this captain’s mistake.
Shubman Gill was the star performer for India in this match. He scored 161 runs in the second innings brilliantly. Earlier, Gill had made a double century of 269 runs too.
Gill’s batting showed what happens when captains make wrong choices. Good batsmen punish teams that give them easy opportunities like this.
England’s bowlers struggled badly under Stokes’ leadership throughout the match. They could not handle India’s strong batting lineup at all.
Stokes’ Own Performance Disappoints Fans
Kaif also criticized Stokes’ personal batting performance in recent matches. The England captain scored very few runs in the previous Test. This raised serious questions about his form and leadership together.
Things got worse for Stokes in the current match. He got out for a duck, which means zero runs. This poor batting made Kaif’s criticism even stronger and more valid.
Kaif argued that captains should lead by example on the field. Stokes is not doing this job properly according to him. A captain who cannot score runs loses the respect of teammates.
