Former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer took a playful jab at former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen, trolling the ex-England captain for his prediction on England’s Day 1 score in the first India vs England Test match in Hyderabad. Pietersen, optimistic about England’s ‘Bazball’ approach against spin, seemed visibly frustrated as England’s batting didn’t go as anticipated at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on January 25. 

In the opening session of the first Test, England’s openers, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, provided a strong start with an aggressive approach, hitting boundaries consistently. However, the introduction of India’s spin duo, Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin, shifted the momentum. Ashwin dismissed Duckett at 35, and Jadeja contributed by taking Ollie Pope’s wicket. In the following over, Ashwin struck again, removing Zak Crawley. This spin-induced breakthrough significantly derailed England’s batting innings as they went from 60 for no wickets to 246 all-out.

Kevin Pietersen initially expressed confidence in England’s batting after Ben Stokes won the toss and their openers provided England a brisk start, predicting a score of 450/9 with England declaring. “England bat. 450/9 declared today?,” tweeted Pietersen on X.

England bat. 450/9 declared today? #INDvENG

— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) January 25, 2024

However, as England started losing wickets, Pietersen’s optimism waned. Pietersen quickly changed his prediction as England’s batting faltered against the Indian spinners. Observing the team’s struggles, he tweeted another prediction, this time anticipating the match to conclude within two days. He tweeted, “Bloody Hell!!! Might be a two day game!”

Bloody hell!!!! Might be a two day game! #INDvsENG

— Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) January 25, 2024

Wasim Jaffer humorously included both of Kevin Pietersen’s tweets into a meme graphic and then playfully tagged Dinesh Karthik, suggesting that the Indian wicketkeeper-batsman would be translating the meme for the Englishman. 

Here’s Wasim Jaffer’s Hilarious Tweet:

.@DineshKarthik will translate this one for you @KP24 😅 #INDvENG pic.twitter.com/3PSpy2rWlw

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) January 25, 2024

Replying to Jaffer’s tweet, Dinesh Karthik also took a jibe at Pietersen, playfully suggesting that some things don’t need explanations, adding a cheeky emoji. Karthik tweeted, “Some things don’t need explanations 😋 Am I right @KP24?”

Some things don’t need explanations 😋
Am I right @KP24? https://t.co/ut5q7LjXwx

— DK (@DineshKarthik) January 25, 2024