Less than 24-hour before the second Test of the three-match home Test series against the West Indies, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced the 13-member squad for the upcoming Test. Though the English fast-bowler Jofra Archer was selected in that team, he ultimately gets dropped from this Test match after breaching team’s bio-secure protocols.
Old Trafford (Manchester) is ready to host the second game of the three-match Test series, which will begin on Thursday (16th July). The 25-year-old Jofra Archer was initially named in the 13-member English squad for the forthcoming Test. But he breached team’s bio-secure protocols which has forced him to miss out the upcoming Manchester Test.
Archer will now have to face five days of isolation along with two COVID-19 tests. If both the COVID-19 tests come out with the negative results, Archer’s self-isolation period will be lifted.
Archer feels sorry for breaching team’s bio-secure protocols and he apologises to everyone for his action.
The English fast bowler claimed, “I am extremely sorry for what I have done. I have put, not only myself, but the whole team and management in danger. I fully accept the consequences of my actions, and I want to sincerely apologise to everyone in the bio-secure bubble.”
It deeply pains me to be missing the Test match: Jofra Archer
While Archer was desperate to feature in this crucial Test match, he feels painful to miss out this Test match.
Archer added, “It deeply pains me to be missing the Test match, especially with the series poised. I feel like I have let both teams down, and again I am sorry.”
During the 13-member selection for the upcoming Test, the pacers James Anderson and Mark Wood were already rested from the England squad. As Archer is also set to miss out this Test, the experienced pacer Stuart Broad‘s Test return is very much possible now.
The 34-year-old England pacer Stuart Broad earlier missed out the opening game of this Test series at Southampton, where Ben Stokes led the English team for the first time in the absence of regular Test captain Joe Root. West Indies won that Southampton Test by four wickets as the hosts England are trailing this series by the 1-0 margin before beginning of the second Test.
For the upcoming second Test of this series at Manchester, the regular English Test captain Joe Root is returning and Joe Denly has been dropped from the 13-member squad.