Chennai, Feb 2 : It will be a long year for England and managing his body will be important, says England pace bowler Jofra Archer who also backed England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB)’s decision to use players intermittently.
“I looked at the schedule today and realised that it is going to be a very long year.Few series coming up.Body management will be essential if you are going to play everything or most of everything.Managing the body will be important if you have to play a lot,” said Archer while speaking to the media on Tuesday.
Through the calender year, England play 17 Test matches besides the T20 World Cup.Archer is also slated to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
The right-arm pace bowler, who spent some time in his birth-place Barbados ahead of this series while training there, said criticising the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for not fielding the best eleven and allowing players to go back home and play is unfair.
“Anyone who has criticised it never spent a week let alone months in the bubble.We have been here for almost a year now.At the end of the day, human beings are social people.Sometimes it becomes hard because if you are not having a great game or if you are not feeling good with your cricket, there is no escape.
I think ECB has done great, given people like myself time.I have had six weeks away.
I think Jos (Buttler) will have some time after the first Test.So they are making a priority that everyone gets time away and come back refreshed and ready to go,” added Archer.
“I don’t mind the bubble because I know I will get my time away.If it gets too overbearing, there is no shame in saying that.
Right now, I am good to go at least till July.I have been training in my time off, playing cricket,” he said.
The 25-year-old fast bowler said that the IPL experience won’t matter much while playing in the upcoming Test series against India.
“I have never played with the red ball here.You can’t really compare it (playing white ball and red ball cricket in India),” said Archer and added that short ball could be important.
As far as his spells are concerned Archer said it will depend on the team combination.“If we play three seamers then I guess I won’t be bowling long spells.I guess it depends the on the bowlers’ quality as well at the time,” said Archer
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