Stokes Reflects On Archer's Snub In The 2nd Test (Source: @Sports_Himanshu/x.com, @Sahil_Malhotra1/x.com)
The Birmingham crowd is soaking the classic red-ball thrills as India and England are crossing swords in the second Test. In a surprising twist, Jofra Archer, though named in the squad, didn’t make it to the playing XI.
As his snub was raising eyebrows, England skipper Ben Stokes reflected on that. Addressing the buzz, he revealed the reasoning behind leaving Archer out of the playing XI.
Stokes Reveals Truth Behind Archer Snub
Battling with injury for four long years, Jofra Archer finally named in the squad just ahead of the second Test against India and England got a massive boost. Having marked his red-ball comeback in a county game, hopes were high for his spot in the playing XI. But despite the buzz, Archer was left out of England's playing XI at Edgbaston.
As his snub from the clash raised eyebrows, Ben Stokes shut all the buzz. At the toss, he cleared out the reason behind Jofra Archer’s omission from the ongoing clash.
“When you bring Jofra Archer back you consider everyone in your squad. It was a really good team performance last week and the bowlers performed well. With the ball you understand the conditions a bit more. We're in good order here,” he said.
England Steps In With Unchanged XI
Ben Stokes and Co. gave a great start to the five-match Test series. Despite early blows with the ball in the first Test, England’s batters turned the tide with a commanding show. While chasing the target in the fourth innings, Duckett’s courageous innings pushed England closer to win.
Before stepping into the second Tests, the team management showed their faith on the players as they named the unchanged playing XI. Even batting looked promising, bowling unit is seeking improvement to tighten their grip. With momentum on their side, England now eyes a commanding 2-0 lead to keep their dominance intact.
