Last Updated on 1 hour ago by Charbel Coorey
Former England batsmen Mike Atherton and Mark Butcher have been left frustrated by the fact Jofra Archer is unavailable for selection for the first Test against New Zealand due to the Indian Premier League (IPL). Archer’s Rajasthan Royals (RR) are a chance of qualifying for the playoffs.
England’s Test series against New Zealand – their first assignment in red-ball cricket since the 4-1 Ashes demolition – kicks off on June 4 at Lord’s. However, Archer was not named in the squad for the first Test as the IPL Final is only a few days earlier on May 31.
Atherton, Butcher among those frustrated that Jofra Archer will miss first New Zealand Test due to the IPL
It is a topic of contention among fans and experts given Archer is centrally contracted England player. Mark Butcher was particularly vocal, voicing his concerns on Wisden’s Cricket Weekly podcast.
“It baffles me. It really does,” Butcher said. “Managing a workload… I mean the problem is that it should be the other way around. He should be pulled out of IPL games rather than you being rested from your main employer to go and play in a tournament overseas. I don’t get it, I don’t think I ever will.”
When questioned on the harsher punishments dished out to players who withdraw from the IPL, Butcher said that isn’t – and shouldn’t – be England’s problem.
“Not [You’re not banned] by England. Not by your employer,” Butcher responded.
“The punishment doesn’t come from them [England] does it? If you put yourself in to go in the IPL and you pull out, then you get a two-year ban from the IPL… that’s only a problem for Jofra Archer. That’s not a problem for England. England are the ones paying him.
“What’s the point of giving someone a two-year contract then allowing them not to honour that contract by [not] playing for you but playing for somebody else? I find it absolutely ridiculous that you could be rested from an England Test match because you’ve been playing in the IPL.”
Atherton was more understanding of England’s decision not to select the pace bowler given how close the Test is, but also questioned why the centrally contracted Archer wasn’t made available earlier.
“First of all, I can understand why that he’d [Archer] would need to get his loads up,” said Atherton on Sky Sports Cricket. “He’s been playing IPL… white-ball cricket, four overs a game. So, loads for a Test match that’s coming up very quickly given that the IPL runs basically up to the first Test… I completely understand that.
“But, I find it incredibly frustrating, and I’m sure England supporters do as well because, you’ve got central contracts there. The point of the central contract is to kind of arrange and manipulate a player’s workload so that you are right and ready and bang on ready to go for England.
“It’s five months since the last Test that England played, and between January and June, a centrally contracted bowler would get to the first Test of the summer against New Zealand and he’s not ready and right to go. As a centrally contracted player, that’s an immense frustration.
“Now, it’s a frustration set against just the practicalities and pragmatic nature of how it is. The players are allowed to go to the IPL… basically England have downed tools for those two months and have no control over those players. The players make their own choices.
“But it means you have this situation where your premier fast bowler is not available for the first Test. That’s frustrating, surely.”
Selected England seamers look to make a mark against New Zealand
Ollie Robinson is back in the England setup for the first time in over two years. He joins Josh Tongue, Matthew Fisher, Gus Atkinson and Sonny Baker as the other specialist pace bowlers in the squad for the first Test. Mark Wood and Brydon Carse are unavailable due to injury.
“It’s great to welcome back players like Rehan [Ahmed], Matt [Fisher] and Ollie [Robinson], who all bring different qualities and experience to the group. Competition for places remains incredibly strong and that’s exactly where we want to be as a Test team,” said England Men’s director of cricket, Rob Key, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
England currently sit second-from-bottom on the 2025-27 World Test Championship table with just three wins in 10 matches. New Zealand are currently second with two victories out of three.
