England captain Ben Stokes has backed Jofra Archer amid criticism over the fast bowler’s absence from the first Test against New Zealand, insisting that the pacer’s commitment to England should not be questioned because of his IPL commitments.
Archer was allowed to stay with Rajasthan Royals for the IPL playoffs instead of joining England’s squad ahead of the series opener at Lord’s.
The 31-year-old featured in Rajasthan’s defeat to Gujarat Titans in the qualifier last week and is currently in Barbados, meaning he is unavailable for the first Test and could also miss the second match at The Oval.
His absence has drawn criticism from several former cricketers. Former England captain Michael Atherton described the situation as “incredibly frustrating”, while ex-New Zealand pacer Simon Doull called it “absolutely ludicrous” that Archer was not available for the start of the series.
Addressing the issue on the eve of the Lord’s Test, Stokes said the realities of modern cricket were very different from those faced by previous generations.
“I totally understand people’s frustrations around it, but there is another side to it,” Stokes told reporters.
“A lot of it has to do with the landscape of cricket and where it is at the moment.
“A lot of points people are making around Jof and that situation are to do with the landscape when they were playing.
“But it’s completely different now. There’s opportunities for cricketers now that there were not 10, 15, 20 years ago.”
Stokes acknowledged that every captain would want his strongest squad available for every match but said the crowded cricket calendar often makes that impossible.
“Yes, in an ideal situation it would be unbelievably great to have everyone who you want available at every single opportunity.
“That is not the way of cricket at the moment. There is so much more out there for players.”
The England skipper was also quick to reject suggestions that Archer’s absence reflected a lack of commitment to the national team. The fast bowler remains centrally contracted by England and has spent the last few years battling a series of injuries in a bid to revive his international career.
“There is a situation where it could get messy and players like Jofra might not play for England again if you handle it in a different way, and that is not good for anyone,” Stokes said.
“Jofra has shown that he’s committed and loves playing for England. Just because he’s not available for this first Test match does not change that.”
Archer’s absence has once again highlighted the challenges facing international teams as franchise leagues continue to occupy a growing place in the cricket calendar.
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