A light-hearted on-field exchange quickly turned into a viral moment after Jasprit Bumrah was caught on the stump mic making a cheeky - and controversial - remark about South Africa captain Temba Bavuma's
height during the first Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.
The moment, which has now taken social media by storm, unfolded during a heated 13th over spell from the Indian pace spearhead.
India were bowling first after losing the toss, and Bumrah, operating with the new ball alongside Mohammed Siraj, produced a fiery in-swerver at 141 kph that thudded into Bavuma's back thigh. Convinced he had nailed him in front, Bumrah went up instantly in a loud LBW appeal. But Rishabh Pant, positioned perfectly behind the stumps, immediately signalled that the ball had climbed too high, persuading captain Shubman Gill to avoid taking the review.
Bumrah:"Bauna bhi toh hai ye"đŸ˜‚ pic.twitter.com/sPIzv2C3p2
- LaPulga (@LAPULGA_11) November 14, 2025
During the mid-pitch discussion, Bumrah expressed his doubt, hinting that Bavuma's shorter height meant the ball might not have traveled over the stumps. That's when the stump mic picked up the now-viral banter.
When Pant said, "Kitna upar laga hai," Bumrah replied, "Bauna bhi toh hai. "
Pant persisted, saying, "Bauna toh hai lekin upar laga hai yaha pe. "
A visibly frustrated Bumrah later muttered, **"Bauna bhi hai yeh *. "
While the exchange has entertained fans online, it has also sparked criticism for the derogatory phrasing, even though Bumrah's intention seemed to be centered around the technical aspect of the height factor in LBW calls.
Ironically, ball-tracking eventually confirmed Pant's judgement-the delivery was bouncing more than expected and would have comfortably cleared the stumps.
Bavuma managed to continue after the blow, but India did not take long to strike again. Bumrah went on to complete a wicket-maiden in the same over, dismissing Aiden Markram with extra bounce inducing an edge to Pant. Shortly after, Kuldeep Yadav removed Bavuma, reducing South Africa to 71/3 in the morning session.
However, Bumrah's comment could land him in trouble. The ICC is expected to review the audio, and the pacer may attract demerit points or monetary penalties for the offhand remark. With stump mics capturing nearly everything today, such slip-ups rarely go unnoticed-and this one certainly hasn't.
At the time of writing this article, South Africa were all-out for 155 with Jasprit Bumrah picking up a fifer.
