Former Pakistan pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar is of the opinion that England’s Jofra Archer is a very strong weapon in England bowling attack and they need to manage his workload well to nurture him into one of the best pacers in the world. He also said that proper workload management by England team management will also ensure that the 24-year-old does not get injured that often.

Archer, who made his maiden appearance in a Test match for England in the second Ashes test which ended in a draw, registered match figures of 5/91. It was not just sheer pace of in and around the 95 miles per hour mark but it was also his accurate bouncers which troubled the Aussie batsmen and brought a sense of energy and enthusiasm in an otherwise dull match interrupted by rains.

“Archer is an exciting talent. He is strong but I believe he is the perfect candidate for being injury prone. With his action and speed, I believe he can have back injuries, so he needs to be preserved,” Akhtar said in a video he posted on his Youtube channel.

“My suggestion will be to play him in fewer matches, he should not bowl 27 overs in an innings. What he cannot do in 14 overs, he won’t be able to do it 27 overs,” he added.

The Rawalpindi Express has also opined that although it is Australia who are leading the Ashes 1-0, it can now take a turn in England’s favour, with Jofra Archer’s addition in the team.

“I think Ashes will now take a turn. I believe fast bowlers should bowl with more intensity now,” he further stated in that video.

During the Test match at Lord’s which had ended in a draw one of Archer’s bouncers hit former Australian captain Steve Smith on the unprotected part of the neck. He also missed the last day of the Test with a concussion and there is no update regarding his availability for the third Test beginning on Thursday.

On the same issue, Akhtar said, “I thought Archer should have gone up to Smith to check up on him as Smith got hit very badly on the neck. Archer should have sympathised,” he said.

“After a long time, a lethal fast bowler has come into the scene. Chris Jordon brought him from Barbados and told him to play for England. There’s a contract within the England management that the player who does not abide by the team rules, then the ECB and management decides whether the player can come into the side or not,” he added.