Archer not afraid to speak out if England bubble becomes too much

Jofra Archer not afraid to speak out if England’s bio-secure bubble becomes too much as he prepares for six-week tour of India… but fast bowler is refreshed and raring to go after being given time off during Sri Lanka Tests

  • Jofra Archer will not be afraid to speak out if bubble life gets too much in India
  • England fast bowler spent the most time in bio-secure conditions last summer
  • It became a bit too much for Archer which saw him given time off this year
  • He was disciplined by ECB for breaking protocols last year when making a detour
  • Now the 25-year-old is feeling refreshed and is raring to go for tour of India 

Jofra Archer insists he will not be afraid to speak out if bubble life gets too much over the next six weeks in India.

The England fast bowler spent more time in bio-secure conditions than anyone last summer and admitted he struggled before being given the tour of Sri Lanka off.

Now, as he prepares to spearhead England’s attack in the first Test in Chennai on Friday, Archer has again addressed his frustrations at the demands placed on cricketers in the Covid world while admitting ‘I don’t have a choice,’ other than to put up with them.

England star Jofra Archer will not be afraid to speak out if bubble life gets too much in India

‘Anyone criticising us has never been in a bubble,’ said Archer when asked about England’s rest and rotation policy. ‘We have been in a bubble for months, one golfer (Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston) left one after four days.

‘I think we have to go in and out of these conditions because humans are social people. It starts to get hard if you are not having a great game or not feeling good with your cricket because there is nowhere to go.

‘It’s really great ECB gave me six weeks away. Sam Curran has gone back home now and Jos Buttler goes after this game. They are making it a priority that everyone gets time away so they can come back refreshed and ready to go.’

Archer, who was disciplined by ECB for breaking protocols last summer in going home to Hove on a journey from Southampton to Manchester, will talk to coach Chris Silverwood if he suffers the same feelings that led to his unauthorised detour last year.

Archer spent more time in bio-secure conditions than anyone last year and he struggled


Now the 25-year-old is feeling refreshed and is raring to go for the long six-week tour of India

‘I don’t have a choice really,’ he said when asked if he was mentally prepared for bubble life during four Tests, five T20 internationals and three 50-over games in India. ‘But I don’t mind to be honest because I know I will get my time away.

‘If it does get too overbearing then it is okay to say so. Spoons (Silverwood) has already said that if anybody has a problem they should tell him but at the moment I am good to go until at least July. I am just going to focus on the job at hand.’

Meanwhile, Ollie Pope batted and fielded at Chepauk on Tuesday when England trained together for the first time since being allowed out of quarantine and could be in contention for Friday’s first Test.

Pope is recovering from a second operation on his right shoulder and will be officially added to the full England squad later this week.




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