England vs New Zealand: Jofra Archer's absence from Test team amid IPL duties dubbed 'absolutely ludicrous' by Simon Doull
The Sky Sports Cricket experts react to Jofra Archer's absence from Brendon McCullum's first Test squad and discuss his replacements; watch the first Test against New Zealand, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10am on Thursday (first ball 11am)
Tuesday 2 June 2026 19:44, UK
Simon Doull - former Black Caps seamer - has criticised Jofra Archer’s omission from England’s Test squad to face New Zealand, calling it "absolutely ludicrous" amid reports that the fast bowler may miss the opening two matches of the series.
The 2019 World Cup winner was allowed to continue playing for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL playoffs instead of joining up with Brendon McCullum's squad for the first Test.
His omission has drawn widespread criticism from fans and pundits alike - with Michael Atherton previously calling the situation incredibly frustrating - and the England head coach has now cast more doubt on his involvement in the rest of the series.
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"Jofra we need to assess," McCullum told BBC Sport. "He's having a little bit of a break at the moment.
"We've seen in the past we can leave Jofra to his own devices, work on his game and follow a plan that has been set. He turns up having that followed that plan to a tee.
"When we see him we'll work out where he sits and if he's available for the second Test. If not, we'll look at the third Test."
'He has no interest in playing Test cricket'
Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast, Doull criticised both Archer and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), heavily for their handling of the situation, in turn praising New Zealand's handling of similar schedule dilemmas.
"It's ludicrous. Absolutely ludicrous.
"How are you paying this guy up to a £1m per year and he's not available for your first Test match? It is absolutely ludicrous.
"The last time that New Zealand came here... Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Matt Henry were all practising in between games in the IPL with a red ball and getting through overs and overs and overs so that they were ready to go when they arrived.
"I think they arrived five days before the first Test after the IPL and that previous tour. OK, it didn't work out. New Zealand lost the series 3-0. But there is no reason that Archer couldn't have been bowling six, seven overs each in between day.
"The fact that he's not doing that tells me he has no interest in playing Test cricket.
"In between days, he needs to be bowling five overs, six overs, seven overs with the red ball so that he's ready to go.
"And there's enough time. If you're doing that in between games, there's enough time to come back here for a week and get ready for a Test match. There's no issue with that.
"So I think it's completely wrong."
Who is England's Archer replacement?
With Archer ruled out, England have reason for concern over the strength of their fast bowling department.
Some of those worries could be soothed with the return of highly-rated seamer Ollie Robinson to the Test squad for the first time in more than two years - though former England captain Nasser Hussain feels he still has work to do at the international level.
"I do like the fact that they have him involved - Ollie Robinson is a skilful bowler," Hussain said on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast.
"He has let [McCullum] down, and that is the thing you have to prove to people.
"When things are in his favour and it's nipping around, his stats and his skill are as good as anyone. I think Brendan called him world class.
"But that's not what has defined the people he's replacing. That's not what defined James Anderson when it was hooping around or Stuart Broad or Chris Woakes.
"When it gets tough - and it stops moving, and the ball's going soft, and you're coming on for your fourth spell and your body's stiff and you have to take the new ball at 6.30pm - that is when Anderson, Broad and Woakes showed their skills.
"And that will be the test for Ollie Robinson. Because that is Test cricket."
Watch the first Test between England and New Zealand, at Lord's, live on Sky Sports Cricket and Main Event from 10am on Thursday (11am first ball). Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with NOW.
