Former England captain Michael Vaughan believes that Jofra Archer should take his time and avoid a hasty return for the second Test against India in Edgbaston.
The injury-prone Joffra Archer should not be withdrawn to play England’s second Test against India in Edgbaston, despite the recent return of the pace bowler to the red-ball cricket, former captain Michael Vaughan feels. Archer played in his first class match in four years during Sussex’s County Championship Game against Durham in Chester-Le-Steret on Sunday and took a wicket for 32 out of 18 overs.
The 30 -year -old has not shown a test since 2021. England selector Luke Wright said earlier this month that if Archer comes through a four -day game for Sussex, it may be available for another test, which begins on 2 July.
On ‘BBC Test Match Special’, Vaughan said, “The good thing is that Joffra is back in the equation, but I want to see him playing another four -day game.”
“He has not been played for a long format for four years, so why, behind a game for Sussex against Durham, will you return it? We know that the intensity at the test-match level is very different for county cricket. Let him play another four-day game-I will go with the same line-up, until the bowlers are fine and no ignorance.” Pair von
Archer Durham’s first innings ended with 1-32 figures from 18 overs, his only wicket as opener Emilio Gay, but Sussex’s head coach Paul Ferbress also urged England to “be careful” with Pacer.
“If I was in the position of his (selectors), my honest answer would be that I will save him (Archer) for the third Test match. You have to be careful that he bowled only 18 overs raid-ball cricket,” Ferbress was called in ‘The Guardian’.
The former England assistant coach said, “Why change the team? He has just won the Test in Headingley. He has set himself well for the series. I will definitely keep sticking with Chris Woakes for Edgbaston as he knows the pitch outside.”
However, Farbrace reports that Archer “looks in great rhythm, she bowled very well.”
He said, “(but) instead of playing a back-to-back game and then in a Test match, perhaps the best landscape will not play in our game, but then be ready for the third Test match. But it’s his call,” he said.
Archer emerged as one of England’s most exciting possibilities in 2019, when he bowled on decisive super over in the Home World Cup win before taking 22 wickets in four Tests in the Ashes series.
But since then he has been hurt by a elbow issue, which first surfaced in 2020, required many surgery and also had a stress fracture of the back in 2022. As a result, Archer’s frequent efforts to return to international cricket were stopped. He was expected to play in the White-Ball series against the West Indies, but hurt his thumb while playing in the Indian Premier League.
