‘It is what it is’: Ben Stokes defends Archer’s Test absence due to IPL duties

England Test captain Ben Stokes has defended Jofra Archer for his absence from the first Test against New Zealand at Lord’s due to IPL commitments. Speaking to the media ahead of the series opener starting Thursday (Jun 4), Stokes warned that leading England players like Archer could be driven away from international cricket if the ECB attempts to limit their IPL commitments.

Months after the Ashes embarrassment (1-4), England resumes Test cricket duties, with the home summer getting underway at the Home of Cricket in London. However, the hosts would be without Archer for the first Test, who was part of the Rajasthan Royals (RR) squad, which was beaten by the Gujarat Titans (GT) in Qualifier 2 in New Chandigarh.

Currently in Barbados, the country of his birth, Archer’s availability for the second Test also remains uncertain.

Although New Zealand’s cricketer-turned-broadcaster Simon Doull called Archer’s absence (due to IPL commitments) ‘absolutely ludicrous’, Stokes commented on the same, saying that the top white-ball players could lose to Tests if they were to make themselves available for every match.

"I totally understand people's frustrations around it, but there is another side to it," Stokes said. "A lot of it has to do with the landscape of cricket and where it is at the moment.

"A lot of points people are making around Jof and that situation are to do with the landscape when they were playing. But it's completely different now. There are opportunities for cricketers now that there were not 10, 15, 20 years ago."

Stokes said Archer's desire to play for his country was unquestionable, warning against a hardline approach.

"There is a situation where it could get messy, and players like Jofra might not play for England again if you handle it in a different way, and that is not good for there anyone," he said. "Jofra has shown that he's committed and loves playing for England. Just because he's not available for this first Test match does not change that."

On the other hand, Jacob Bethell, who also represented the eventual IPL 2026 winners, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), is with the England team at Lord's, having played no meaningful red-ball cricket since his stunning Ashes century in Sydney in January.

"It's just one of those things. You have your number three (Bethell), he has a great couple of games out in Australia, then he spends nine or 10 weeks out in India, and you are seeing him two days before a Test match," said Stokes. "That is almost becoming the norm. The game is changing all the time. There are some things you have to roll with and accept; it is what it is."

(With inputs from AFP)