Former England captain Nasser Hussain feels including Jofra Archer in the second Test match against India is a bold and risky move. Archer has recently been recalled to the England setup after a prolonged period sidelined by various injuries, which have kept him out of the Test squad for the past four years.
Nasser Hussain advises England to not play Jofra Archer in Birmingham Test
Archer made his return to first-class cricket on Sunday, playing for Sussex, and has now been named in England's squad for the second Test, which is scheduled to begin on July 2nd. Hussain acknowledged that while fans would undoubtedly be excited to see Archer back in the red-ball squad, he noted that rejoining the Test setup after such a lengthy absence could present mental challenges for the fast bowler.
"Firstly you have to say it's good news for Archer and England in that Jof must have been through so much with those [elbow and back injuries], the rehab, the pain, the mental torment of continually getting injured and making comebacks, so it's great to see him back in the squad, he hasn't played a Test match for four years. Fundamentally if you're an England fan you should be pleased to see Jofra Archer back in a red ball squad," said Hussain to Sky Sports.
Hussain warned England regarding the immediate selection of the right-arm pacer for the Test match in Birmingham. He clearly said that it could pose a risk to Archer's physical condition, given his recent return from injury. Hussain suggested a more prudent approach would be to allow Archer an additional week to regain full match fitness and instead consider including him in the subsequent Test match at Lord's.
"I think it's too much of a risk this week, but it may have gone so well - I don't know Jofra Archer's body - it may have gone so well that they say 'we'll play you this week'. Then the problem is, who do you leave out?. I do think it is a gamble worth taking, I just don't know if it's worth taking this week. I would do it a week after at Lord's. He's only just made his first-class comeback for Sussex for four years this week where he bowled 18 overs. When Archer's fully fit, he is one of the best in the world. He is absolutely box office; he has that raw pace. But unfortunately for him, he hasn't been fully fit for a very long time. So it is a gamble," Hussain added.
The 57-year-old further elaborated on three potential strategies for managing Jofra Archer's return to the Test arena. These included allowing him more playing time at Sussex to build up match fitness, directly including him in the playing eleven for the upcoming Test at Edgbaston, or including him in the squad to closely monitor his readiness through regular practice sessions.
The former cricketer, now a commentator, questioned the need to expedite Archer's return to the Test side and suggested that it might be beneficial to wait for another week before considering his inclusion. He acknowledged England's long-term focus, particularly with the Ashes series on the horizon, and conceded that the team management must carefully assess whether Archer can withstand the rigors of two consecutive Test matches.
"They could have made three decisions with him. Leave him at Sussex to play another County Championship game, I think they play Sunday at Warwickshire, and then pick him for Lord's for the next Test. The problem with that is then he'll have played three games in three weeks, that Lord's Test his third, having not played for four years. Another option is to pick him and play him, which they may well do at Edgbaston. Or pick him in the squad, get some overs into his legs every morning, every lunchtime, every tea after play and have a look how he is,” he further stated.
"What is the hurry when we've waited so long? Why not wait another week just to make sure? Obviously they've got one eye on the future as well. It's not just about Edgbaston and Lord's and this series. We know what's coming up next and they would love to have Archer involved Down Under. Bowling fast is hard work and it is a risk. It's a risk they're willing to take and I think they have to take before the winter, they have to find out if Jofra can get through maybe two of these next four Test matches," he concluded.
England's squad for second Test against India:
Ben Stokes (captain), Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Byrdon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.