Mumbai: Jofra Archer says he is “not bothered” by criticism in England after missing the first Test against New Zealand, with the reason linked to his IPL schedule. Rajasthan Royals assistant coach Trevor Penny offered the latest view ahead of RR’s crucial match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
Quick facts
- Jofra Archer is said to be “not bothered” by criticism over missing England’s first Test vs New Zealand.
- Rajasthan Royals assistant coach Trevor Penny made the comments ahead of RR vs Mumbai Indians.
- RR play a must-win IPL match against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday.
- Former England captains Michael Atherton and Michael Vaughan questioned Archer’s IPL priority.
- England left Archer out of the opening Test as the ECB manages his return to red-ball cricket after a long injury layoff.
- Jacob Bethell’s IPL with Royal Challengers Bengaluru ended after a finger injury.
- Bethell, 22, missed RCB’s defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday.
- Rajat Patidar confirmed Bethell injured his finger.
Penny said the debate has barely been touched within the dressing room. Before the contest in Mumbai, he suggested Archer is treating the matter like part of the larger workload that comes with playing in a franchise tournament.
Former England captains Michael Atherton and Michael Vaughan had raised concerns about Archer’s decision-making. Atherton went further, calling the situation “incredibly frustrating” in a column for The Times, after questioning whether IPL commitments should take precedence over national duty.
But Penny’s message was direct: the IPL is the priority for Archer in the present moment. “It’s a big tournament. Everybody knows IPL is the thing to come to as well,” Penny said, adding that missing a single England match is something that can be accepted given the scale of the league.
He also indicated that Archer has not shown signs of being unsettled by the chatter. Penny suggested any reaction would be minor, explaining that the player is “getting on as normal,” and that “guys haven’t even spoken about it.”
England recently left Archer out of their squad for the opening Test against New Zealand. The ECB is continuing to oversee his transition back to red-ball cricket following an extended period on the sidelines due to injury.
Bethell’s IPL ends with finger injury
In another IPL setback, Jacob Bethell has concluded his campaign with Royal Challengers Bengaluru. The 22-year-old suffered a finger problem that forced him to miss RCB’s defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday.
RCB captain Rajat Patidar confirmed the injury, stating that Bethell had damaged his finger. With the issue now ruling him out, the remainder of the IPL season will be watched from the sidelines.
