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Stuart Broad's stern advice to Stokes, McCullum to put Jofra Archer on bench for 5th Test: 'We can't not have him…'
Broad stressed the urgency of preserving Jofra Archer’s fitness, stating that England simply can’t afford another four-year absence.
Bowling great Stuart Broad has firmly told Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum to avoid taking a risk with Jofra Archer in the final Test and drop him from the playing XI. Archer returned to Test cricket with the ongoing India series after a gap of four years due to fitness concerns, and Broad suggested that England can't play him in back-to-back three Test matches. Workload management has emerged as a major talking point lately, with fast bowlers like Jofra Archer and Jasprit Bumrah frequently falling under its spotlight due to recurring injuries and packed schedules.
Broad stressed the urgency of preserving Jofra Archer’s fitness, stating that England simply can’t afford another four-year absence. He urged the management to handle Archer’s workload carefully, beginning with giving him a break from the upcoming Oval Test.
"We can't not have Archer for four years, bring him back and then bowl him into the ground and not see him for another four years," Broad said on Sky Sports.
The English pace great further advised Stokes and McCullum to bring Gus Atkinson back in the XI for the final Test at the Oval.
"I think Gus Atkinson has to play. I know he has not had any workload, but we need to see him. He hasn't been really challenged against top-level opposition in Test cricket yet," Broad said.
It has turned out to be a tiring Test series for fast bowlers, and Broad suggested that Brydon Carse is not looking 100 per cent at the moment.
"[Brydon] Carse looked knackered in the fourth Test. He's been a trier and given absolutely everything, but it looks like his legs have gone. So Atkinson gets the nod," he added.
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Jamie Overton included in England's squad
England have already bolstered their squad for the fifth and final Test by including pace-bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton. The Surrey quick is the sole addition to the side that featured in the drawn Manchester Test, where India batted resiliently across five sessions and 143 overs to avoid defeat.
With both Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse having played all four matches of the series and Jofra Archer returning to action after a lengthy four-year layoff to feature in consecutive Tests, England appear keen to rotate and manage their fast-bowling resources ahead of the decider.
