Our pacers ready to grind it out: Archer
NEW DELHI: For a speed merchant like Jofra Archer, compulsory bio-bubble living and a cramped schedule post the Covid-19 halt in sport has meant taking forced breaks to recharge his mind and body. The fastest among England pacers thus goes into the Test series against India starting Friday without any redball cricket in five months.
Archer was rested for last month’s two-test series in Sri Lanka. But the Barbados-born player seemed unfazed. “I am not that desperate, if you get me in that sense. I have been training. It didn’t stop when cricket stopped,” Archer said on Tuesday. Archer has been a revelation in India since his IPL debut in 2018. The 25-year-old has consistently ranked among the top in terms of wickets and pace.
Archer though has never played first-class cricket in Asia, having featured in only 11 Tests since taking 22 wickets in a memorable debut in the 2019 home Ashes series, after helping England claim their first 50-over World Cup. Along with the experienced James Anderson and Stuart Broad, and all-rounder Ben Stokes who played in the 2016 series in India, Archer thus may have to play a supporting role this time. “My (role) doesn’t really matter. For the team, whatever way I can contribute; if it means seamers doing the hard work, so be it,” Archer said.
“Probably the combination of the team will decide the length of the spells,” he said. “If it is three seamers, then I guess it will be about bowling long spells. Either way, short or long, doesn’t matter to me. We already had a
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bowling meeting. We’ll have more meetings in the coming days. We will stick to the plans and then see how to adjust.”
Archer was part of the backto-back home series against West Indies and Pakistan when international cricket resumed last July after a break of more than four months. During the West Indies series, he was guilty of breaching the bio-bubble protocol while travelling between venues. Archer though is not alone to feel the strain of life in the bio-bubble and ECB has been sympathetic. On the current tour too, players will be rotated.
Keeper Jos Buttler will leave after the first Test while Jonny Bairstow will play only in the final two Tests. This has drawn criticism with former skipper Kevin Pietersen questioning the prospect of England not fielding their best 11 against India.
It will be a packed calendar for Archer. After this series, he will return to play IPL, with the home Test series against India next and the T20 World Cup in India to follow. “All I can say is it is going to be very long year. February has just started. It will be a long, long year with a few series coming up. Body management will be crucial. Anyone criticising (rotation) never spent months in a bio-bubble. One golfer left after four days. We’ve been here for almost a year now,” Archer said. “Humans are social people. Sometimes it can be hard if you are not having a great game or if you are not feeling good with the cricket. There is nowhere to go. There is no escape. ECB has done a great job. Like I got six weeks’ leave; Jos is going after the first game while Sam (Curran) is gone after the first two games. The board has said there is no shame in saying if you have had enough. I am good to go till at least July.”
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