Ball tampering is widely regarded as one of the most serious violations in the sport of cricket. The infamous incident involving Steve Smith, David Warner, and Cameron Bancroft still casts a shadow over their careers, with Smith continuing to face taunts from fans around the world.

Now, a similar controversy has emerged, this time involving England pacer Brydon Carse.

Brydon Carse Accused of Ball Tampering 

England’s fast bowler Brydon Carse has found himself at the center of controversy after allegedly attempting to tamper with the ball during the Manchester Test against India.

The incident occurred in the 12th over of India's innings, shortly after Indian skipper Shubman Gill struck him for a couple of crisp boundaries.

It was observed that Carse appeared to deliberately step on the ball during his follow-through — a move that raised eyebrows among viewers and commentators alike. The Dukes ball, which had been swinging significantly early on, had started to lose its movement by the time Carse was introduced into the attack in the 10th over.

While it’s not uncommon for bowlers to stop the ball with their feet in follow-through, what made Carse’s action suspicious was how he pressed down on it rather than picking it up or flicking it up with his foot. This prompted speculation that the English bowler was attempting to scuff one side of the ball intentionally.

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Isn't that ball tampering #ICC ? #IndVsEng #shame

What's Brydon Carse is doing with the ball, you can hear Ricky Ponting talking about it here 👇🏻pic.twitter.com/ssnYCrAqqi

— Kanhaiya Lal Saran (@SaranKL_) July 27, 2025

Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting, commenting live on Sky Sports, pointed it out on air. “This is from Brydon Carse’s last over. This is something he does in his follow-through here. Stops the ball and does it, oops. A couple of big spikes into the shiny side of the ball,” said Ponting, hinting at a deliberate attempt to create wear and tear.

Analysts have suggested that Carse may have been trying to help the ball reverse swing — a tactic that requires one side of the ball to be roughened up. With England preparing to introduce spin and the ball no longer aiding seam movement, the timing of the action added to the suspicion.