“How are you paying this guy £1 million a year?”

Former New Zealand pacer Simon Doull slammed ace England seamer Jofra Archer for missing the opening Test between the sides, starting at Lord’s on Thursday, June 4. The 31-year-old, who participated in IPL 2026, remained with his franchise, Rajasthan Royals (RR), through the playoffs.

RR’s campaign ended at the hands of the Gujarat Titans (GT) on May 29, less than a week before the Test series opener against New Zealand. As a result, Archer was left out of the England squad for the upcoming Lord’s Test.

Reacting to Archer’s absence from the England squad for the opening Test, Doull told Sky Sports:

“It’s ludicrous. Absolutely ludicrous. How are you paying this guy up to £ 1 million per year, and he’s not available for your first Test match? It is absolutely ludicrous. The last time that New Zealand came here, Tim Southee, Trent Boult, and Matt Henry were all practicing in between games in the IPL with a red ball and getting through overs and overs and overs so that they were ready to go when they arrived.”

He continued:

“I think they arrived five days before the first Test after the IPL. There is no reason that Archer couldn’t have been bowling six, seven overs each in between days. The fact that he’s not doing that tells me he has no interest in playing Test cricket.”

Archer was instrumental in RR’s impressive playoff run in IPL 2026, finishing with 25 wickets at an average of 22.36 in 16 outings.

“A lot of it has to do with the landscape of cricket” – Ben Stokes defends Jofra Archer

England captain Ben Stokes defended Jofra Archer from the criticisms regarding the latter’s absence for the first New Zealand Test. In an injury-ridden career, Archer has played only 18 Tests for England despite debuting in the format in 2019.

“I totally understand people’s frustrations around the situation. But there is also another side of it. A lot of it has to do with the landscape of cricket and where it is at the moment. A lot of the points people have been making around Jof and that situation I think are to do with the landscape back when they were playing. It is completely different now,” said Stokes (via Independent.co.UK).

He added:

“There are opportunities for cricketers now that there weren’t 10, 15, 20 years ago. Yes, in an ideal situation, it would be unbelievably great to have everyone who you want available at every single opportunity. But that is not the way of cricket at the moment. There is so much more out there for players.”

Archer last played a red-ball game for England in the disastrous Ashes series in Australia, where the visitors suffered a 1-4 defeat.