NEW DELHI: Allaying concerns about Jofra Archer’s readiness for Test cricket, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) director Rob Key has said that the pacer could have been brought back much earlier, but the decision was made to allow him time to gradually build up for the demands of the longest format.Former England captain Michael Vaughan and Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace had both advised against rushing Archer into the second Test against India at Edgbaston, despite his recent return to red-ball cricket. Archer, who has not played a Test since 2021, was named in England’s squad after bowling 18 overs and taking a wicket in a four-day County match for Sussex against Durham.“I think we’ve gone slower than we could have done,” Key was quoted as saying by The Guardian.“Jofra has been in a long period where he’s been building up and building up (in white-ball cricket). The temptation could have been to rush him back sooner. But actually we’ve gone down this road to make sure that we’re in this position now where we’re thinking about playing him,” he added.England won the first Test at Headingley, but their pace attack lacked penetration despite the result. Archer, one of the standout bowlers in the recent IPL season, could provide the cutting edge England need—if he makes the final XI.“He could be one of the best bowlers we have had. And you only do that by doing it in Test cricket. Hopefully for the next few years we’ll be fortunate enough to see Jofra have the chance to stake that claim,” said Key.The ECB director also emphasised that England captain Ben Stokes would be well-placed to manage Archer’s workload intelligently, keeping in mind his injury-prone history.
“These are impact players. You don’t want them doing other roles. That’s where you need complementary skills, so you can share a bit more of the work. The temptation at times with Jofra is that he can do a bit of everything.“But you’ve got to use him when he can impact the game and Ben (Stokes) is one of the best at that. You have got to be smart with how you use them so they can help you win a game,” Key explained.
On Mark Wood, who has been out of action following knee surgery earlier this year, Key was optimistic about his return but did not specify a date. Reports suggest that the speedster could be available for the fifth and final Test against India in late July.“Wood is someone who could turn up after bowling a bit in the nets, like he did (in 2023), and it’s 96mph, swinging the ball and hitting a length. We’re very fortunate he has the ability to hit his straps pretty much from the start.“Jofra is close to the Mark Wood end of the scale: a pretty pure talent, not a lot of moving parts to his action. He knows exactly what he is doing and what he is about,” Key added.
