NZ vs ENG | Jofra Archer still has a lot to learn, especially in Test cricket, thinks Joe Root
Joe Root believes that Jofra Archer, who started his Test career from the Ashes series this year and had a hard time in the New Zealand tour, has a lot to learn in Tests. Archer managed to pick up merely two wickets from the two outings which were quite opposite of his performances in the Ashes.
Archer burst onto the scene with some performances in the Ashes but in the first away tour of his career, he has failed to make any significant contribution, being thrashed by Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson in the second Test in Hamilton. In the wake of that, Root said that Jofra Archer has a lot to learn and improve in the red-ball cricket.
"Jofra has found out that Test cricket is hard, that you have to keep backing it up and that you can sometimes bowl extremely well and get no reward," Root told Sky Sports Cricket after his side's 1-0 series defeat.
His infamous bouncer during the second Test of the Ashes at Lord’s removed Smith from the next Test and Australia replaced him with Marnus Labuschane as a concussion substitute. The England skipper reckoned that there was a lot of expectations riding on the pacer and that is something he needs to adapt.
"I said at the start of the tour that there is a big expectation on him at the start of his career and that he still has a lot of learning to do. One thing for certain is that he is a fantastic talent and there is no doubt he is going to contribute massively for England in Test cricket,” said Root.
New Zealand clinched the two-match series 1-0 after the second Test at the Seddon Park in Hamilton ended in a draw on Tuesday.