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England captain Ben Stokes hit back at Simon Doull’s ‘extremely ridiculous’ comments on Jofra Archer’s unavailability for the opening match of the three-match Test series against New Zealand at Lord’s.
Archer has been given a break following his IPL 2026 commitments with Rajasthan Royals. England will host New Zealand in a crucial three-match Test series starting at the prestigious Lord’s Cricket Ground in London from June 4.
However, the fiery fast bowler will miss the first Test and is also likely to miss the second Test, starting on June 17, as England feel he needs a “little break” after IPL 2026.
Absolutely ridiculous: Simon Doull on Jofra Archer not playing in England vs New Zealand Test
Jofra Archer was in great form in IPL 2026, where he finished as the third leading wicket-taker with 25 wickets and helped Rajasthan Royals reach Qualifier 2.
But his unavailability for the England vs New Zealand Test irked many, with Doull being blunt in his attack.
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Sky Sports quoted Simon Doull as saying, “It’s ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. How are you paying this guy up to £1 million a year, and he’s not available for your first Test match? It’s absolutely ridiculous.”
The last time New Zealand came here, Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Matt Henry were all practicing with the red ball in between games in the IPL and bowling over-overs and over-overs so that they were ready to go when they arrived.
Ben Stokes supports Jofra Archer amid protests; Says players have more options
Addressing the massive reaction, Ben Stokes insisted that Jofra Archer remains committed to England, but added that the game has changed significantly compared to the past, and players now have many more career options and opportunities.
The star all-rounder feels that every team would want all the players to be available all the time, but in this era it is not always possible as individuals have different commitments.
“A lot of the things that people are making about Joff and the situation, I think they relate to the scenario when he was playing. It’s completely different now,” Stokes said in the pre-match press conference at Lord’s.
“There are opportunities for cricketers now that there weren’t 10, 15, or 20 years ago. Yes, in an ideal situation, it would be incredibly great to have every single opportunity available to whoever you want. But that’s not the way cricket is at the moment. There’s too much for players to do.”
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Ben Stokes gives stern warning on Jofra Archer’s condition ahead of England vs New Zealand Test
Defending Jofra Archer, Stokes insisted that England must be careful not to turn a temporary situation into a long-term problem. The England captain said that putting too much pressure on Archer could backfire and leave them without one of their most dangerous fast bowlers.
He made it clear that Archer’s love and commitment towards playing for England should not be judged just because he is not available for the first Test against New Zealand.
Stokes said, “There is a situation where it can go wrong and if you handle it differently a player like Joffra may not be able to play for England again, and that is not good for anyone. I think Joff has shown that he is committed and loves playing for England. Just because he is not available for this first Test match, it is not going to change that.”
