England fast bowler Jofra Archer is making headlines again—this time not just for his bowling but for his controversial celebration during the Manchester Test against India. On Day 2 of the match, Archer bowled a fiery spell and dismissed Rishabh Pant, but what followed left fans divided.

Archer Kicks the Stump in Aggressive Celebration

In the 113th over of India’s first innings, Jofra Archer clean-bowled Rishabh Pant, who had returned from injury to score a fighting 54. As soon as the stumps flew, Archer walked up to the wicket, laughed, and kicked one of the stumps in a celebratory gesture before returning to his mark.

The moment was caught on camera and quickly went viral on social media. While some fans saw it as raw passion, many criticized Archer for showing disrespect and crossing the line of sportsmanship.

Archer’s Comeback and Key Wickets

This Test marks Archer’s return to England’s red-ball side after nearly 4 years, and he’s made an immediate impact. He not only dismissed Pant but also claimed the wickets of Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah, finishing with 3 wickets in the innings. He had earlier taken 5 wickets in his comeback Test at Lord’s as well.

Indian Batting Effort and England’s Response

India posted a solid 358 in their first innings thanks to:

• Sai Sudarshan – 61

• Yashasvi Jaiswal – 58

• Rishabh Pant – 54 (despite injury)

• Shardul Thakur – 41

• KL Rahul – 46

For England, Ben Stokes starred with the ball, taking 5 wickets, while Archer chipped in with 3.

In response, England ended Day 2 strongly at 225/2, with openers Ben Duckett (94) and Zak Crawley (84) laying the foundation. Joe Root (11)* and Ollie Pope (20)* remained unbeaten. Indian bowlers Anshul Kamboj and Ravindra Jadeja took one wicket each.

As the match progresses, all eyes will remain on Archer—not just for his bowling, but also his on-field behavior.