'I have no sympathy at all' - Michael Holding slams Jofra Archer for not following bio-secure protocols

Just a few hours before the second Test match was about to begin it was announced that Jofra Archer has been pulled out due to a breach of conduct. He had travelled by car and gone to his home in between the two matches. This incident raises doubts not only on Archer’s conduct but also the English Board.

“Why aren’t the England team traveling on a bus?” questioned the former West Indies legend Michael Holding while in conversation with Sky Sports. He said that that, in the current circumstances Archer’s mistake will not only cost him but also all the others who will come in contact or had come in contact with him.

“I have no sympathy at all. I don’t understand why people can’t just do what is required,” Holding said. He pointed out how staying away from people and obeying protocols was not some big sacrifice. “Talking about sacrifices – Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in a little cell and he did nothing wrong – that is a sacrifice,” Holding added.

Holding questioned the authorities for letting players travel by car, “Why are they allowed to travel by car? People need to just think a bit,” the commentator went on to add. “I just want to ask a few questions of the ECB and these protocols, though. I understand that protocols should be put in place but they should be a little bit more logical.”

Jofra Archer apologized for the same

“I have put, not only myself, but the whole team and management in danger. I fully accept the consequences of my actions, and I want to sincerely apologise to everyone in the bio-secure bubble,” Archer said. It remains to be seen what other action is taken against Archer after him being pulled out from the second Test match.

England and West Indies are playing a 3-match Test series with extreme precautions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Both teams stayed and trained in separate bio-secure bubbles in Southampton and Manchester in the lead up to the series that marks the return of international cricket after the COVID-19 pandemic.