Fast bowler Ben Stokes has defended England’s decision to rest Jofra Archer for the opening Test against New Zealand at Lord’s after the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 tournament, with the captain warning that mishandling such situations could drive players away from international cricket.
Archer played 16 IPL matches as Rajasthan Royals reached the playoffs and the 31-year-old England coach Brendon McCullum suggested he might miss the second game of the series as well.
“I know the situation has been talked about for the last couple of weeks. I completely understand people’s frustration around the situation, but there is another side to it,” Stokes told reporters on Wednesday.
“It has a lot to do with the landscape of cricket and where it is now. Cricketers have more opportunities now than they did 10 or 20 years ago.
“It’s a confusing situation and players like Jofra who handle it the other way won’t play for England again and that’s not good for anybody.”
In the past, England players have left their IPL teams mid-match to play for their country.
Stokes emphasized the need for his team to put up a strong performance after the recent heavy loss in the Ashes series in Australia.
England’s aggressive tactics have been widely criticised, with former players such as Michael Vaughan suggesting a return to basics to get results.
“There’s been a lot of talk for a long time now, but what I’m saying doesn’t really matter,” Stokes said.
“At the end of this week’s game, at the end of the series, it’s all about what happens whether we win or lose. You’ll see that England are still in the mood to win.
“You’ve heard it from Brendan, we’re going to go out there and play good cricket and try to win this series.”
Fast bowler Ollie Robinson and spinner Shoaib Basheer are expected to make the squad on Thursday. Opener Emilio Kay and fast bowler Sonny Baker were included in the 12-man squad.