Doubtful If Jofra Archer Will Play Third Test After 'Selfish Nature' Of What He Did, Says Michael Vaughan

Former England skipper Michael Vaughan is doubtful if pacer Jofra Archer will feature any further in the ongoing series against West Indies after the pacer breached the team’s bio-secure bubble.

England dramatically announced that the fast bowler had been left out of their side for the second Test against West Indies just hours before play got underway at Old Trafford on Thursday.

The Barbados-born star has now undertaken a mandatory five days of isolation and will undergo two Covid-19 tests in this period, which have to test negative before his self-isolation period is lifted. But while only time will tell whether he will be eligible to play the third Test or not after the Covid-19 tests, Michael Vaughan believes the series is as good as over for the pacer.

“The fact that he was willing to go home and potentially threaten the series by bringing Covid-19 back into the bubble will mean that he is on the naughty step for a while, I am afraid,” Michael Vaughan wrote in ‘The Telegraph’.

“Realistically, it would be hard for him to play next week. I do not think they can bring him back in for the third test,” he added.

At the same time, the former England international said the team must forgive Archer for his mistake and be supportive. The World Cup-winner has been facing criticism from all around for his mistake and has already issued an apology.

“We have also got to understand that he is a young kid and this is really the first mistake he has made. What is important is that he learns, but also that he gets a little bit of support over the next five days – he is going to be locked in his room, no-one can see him. He needs people on the phone supporting him,” Michael Vaughan wrote.

“You do not want to leave a young player, who has made a mistake, like that, on his own to have all the thoughts and gather a lot of negativity. He is online, he will have seen a lot of the responses to what he has done,” he added.

The Ashes-winning captain, who represented England in 82 Tests, further said that  Archer will have to earn the trust of the dressing room after his recent antics.

“The selfish nature of what Jofra Archer did means he has got to earn the trust of the dressing room once again … All the players and coaching staff would have loved the opportunity to just nip home. Archer has broken the team discipline and the culture, so England had no option but to leave him out,” he wrote.

Meanwhile, England are trailing the three-match series after losing the series-opener in Southampton by 4 wickets. Archer had a poor outing in the game as he failed to pick any wicket in the first innings before taking three in the second innings.

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