‘I’m confused’: Former England batsman questions Jofra Archer’s absence after full IPL

Jofra Archer (AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia) Former England batsman Mark Butcher has questioned Jofra Archer’s unavailability for England’s first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s, saying he does not understand why one of the country’s leading fast bowlers is not participating despite a successful IPL campaign and a limited domestic Test schedule.While much of the discussion about England’s team selection centered on Ben Stokes’ decision to bat at number seven, Butcher reserved some of his strongest comments for Archer’s absence from the squad.Archer arrives after an outstanding IPL 2026 season with Rajasthan Royals, where he played a major role in the franchise’s progress to Qualifier 2. The fast bowler finished third in the Purple Cap rankings after taking 25 wickets in 16 matches and was widely regarded as one of the standout bowlers of the tournament.Despite these performances, Archer would not appear in the opening Test at Lord’s, a decision which left Butcher perplexed.“I don’t understand why you would have an asset that you’re paying a huge amount of money for and you don’t expect him to show up and be the 12th man. I just don’t get it.”The former England batsman said he struggled to find some justification for Archer’s unavailability, especially given the limited number of Tests England will play this summer.“I’m confused and I also wish I was playing now. I can’t understand it. I don’t see how it’s justified.”Butcher clarified that his frustration was not directed at Archer himself, but rather at the wider situation surrounding the fast bowler’s availability.“My point is, I’m not knocking Jofru Archer, I just don’t believe it. There’s only six Test matches in the summer; if you don’t play the first two, there’s four left.”England open their three-match series against New Zealand at Lord’s on Thursday before traveling to The Oval for the second Test on June 17 and Trent Bridge for the final on June 25.The debate over Archer’s absence comes at a time when England are trying to manage their fast-bowling resources carefully. However, Butcher believes a player of Archer’s quality should be involved whenever possible, especially after he has shown excellent pace and fitness during the IPL season.Archer’s absence from the Lord’s Test was not a complete surprise given that he played Rajasthan Royals’ entire IPL 2026 campaign, which extended to Qualifier 2. However, Butcher believes England should have found a way to include one of their leading fast bowlers, especially with only six home Tests scheduled this summer.Alongside his comments on Archer, Butcher also questioned England captain Ben Stokes’ decision to move to number seven in the batting order.“Why does he need to drop to seven? I don’t understand it. I wonder if it’s a move because Stokes has decided I’m our best bowler, I’ll take the new ball, which wouldn’t be the craziest thing in the world at all. That’s a viable and valid option for me with the guys we’ve got.”Butcher suggested that Stokes could instead pursue a role similar to that played by Ian Botham during his playing days.“I think a very long way back to the 1980s when Beefy (Ian Botham) dominated the ground and quite often batted five and opened the bowling in the Test team. He was at the center of everything. Always. I’d rather see Ben at six and back to his best with the bat.”For now, it is Archer’s absence that continues to puzzle Butcher, who believes England are missing out on one of their most valuable assets despite his excellent form and the relatively short Test program ahead.