Former England captain on Archer and possible Robinson selection

Former England capatin and Sky Sports commentator Nasser Hussain says England have taken the right steps in dealing with Jofra Archer after he breached Covid-19 protocols
Jofra Archer bowling in the netsJofra Archer bowling in the nets
Jofra Archer bowling in the nets

And he believes Archer's Sussex teammate Ollie Robinson stands a good chance of making the team for the second Test against the West Indies at Old Trafford.

Speaking live on Sky Sports News from Old Trafford, Hussain added that Archer's teammates will feel 'let down and disappointed' with the Sussex fast bowler's actions.

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Sussex and England ace Archer banned from Test after breaching Covid-19 protocols

He said: "We were shocked. About 7.30am we got a warning there was going to be an announcement. We thought someone had failed a Covid test or there was going to be an announcement of a retirement. Then the news broke that Jofra Archer had broken the Covid protocol that’s well set.

"They have to stay in the bio-secure bubble, if they got out of that then they can infect people within their team, within the opposition team and everything that has been put in place gets thrown into turmoil.

"I think the right steps and measures have been taken this morning by England. They only found out late last night which obviously throws their team squad and selection into doubt as well."

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He added: "We don’t know if it’s just a naivety from Jofra, we don't know it i was something more serious.

"He has apologised. It is a very unusual situation we all find ourselves in and he’s made a mistake.

"He’s apologised for it. His teammates will feel really let down and disappointed because they would have been the ones who would have loved to have done something different and gone out of this bubble they are in for seven or eight weeks but they can’t and Jofra did.

"So the teammates will be disappointed, as will his captain Joe Root, Jofra Archer is a fabulous bowler, he was bowling brilliantly and he has missed cricket because of an injury in South Africa. The spell at the Ageas bowl was fantastic and he said in that statement ‘I have missed enough cricket’."

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But Hussain said the players will now be focussed on the Test match.

He said: "I think cricketers just move on quickly. More importantly for Joe Root now, once someone does this on a Test Match morning you completely park that with management.

"You leave that with Ashley Giles to sort out. Joe Root will now focus on the toss, it’s very similar to the Ageas bowl here. It’s raining, there’s drizzle, he probably wanted to bat first but will he want to make the same mistake as the last test."

And his thoughts on team sellection and the possibility of Robinson making his Test debut?

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"Who will they play instead of Archer. Anderson and Wood were rested yesterday suddenly does Anderson, who averages under 21 on this ground become 'unrested'.

"There’s some difficult decisions for Joe Root, not what you need as a captain on the first morning of a Test.

"Robinson is a very talented young bowler. He’s bowled brilliantly for Sussex over the last couple of years.

"Jason Gillespie speaks very highly of him and in the warm up games he looked the real deal. Sam Curran in the pecking order, on what he has done in the last couple of years will feel aggrieved if someone like Robinson goes ahead of him but Robinson is more of a strike bowler, Curran more of a bowling allrounder.

"I would say Curran probably slightly ahead."