“I can’t get him out if he isn’t there”- Jofra Archer responds to Steve Smith’s ‘He’s yet to get me out’ comment

Jofra Archer’s vicious bouncer to Steve Smith at the Lord’s is still making the headlines for various reasons. Smith copped a blow around his neck and was ruled out of that game due to concussion after which Marnus Labuschagne was roped in as a substitute. Smith also missed the third Test at the Headingley, which Australia lost tantalizingly by one wicket courtesy Ben Stokes’s masterclass.

Not only Smith, but Archer also smacked Labuschagne a couple of times on the helmet. His deadly bumpers have been the talking point, especially because he bowls them without much effort. Jofra Archer has also been talked about as a deadly prospect as he was able to get under Smith’s skins in London.

Recently Smith opened up on the talks and said that the Caribbean bowler is yet to get his wicket. “There’s been a bit of talk that he has the wood over me but he hasn’t actually got me out,” Smith mentioned. The Aussie batter is set to return for a tour match versus Derbyshire on Thursday.

Steve Smith can’t do it all himself

After Smith’s comments, Jofra Archer didn’t keep silent and responded to the remarks. The Barbados-born speedster said that he wished to bowl at him after he returned to bat at the Home of Cricket, but he couldn’t. However, Archer sounded confident, saying that there’s enough time to get him out.

“Well, I can’t get him out if he wasn’t there. I did want to bowl at him when he came back out at Lord’s but he was out before I even got to come back on. But there’ll be more than ample time to get him out,” Archer was quoted as saying in Daily Mail.

Smith scored 92 and was trapped in front by Chris Woakes. Prior to that, he underwent a concussion test. In the meantime, Jofra Archer also lauded Smith as a ‘world-class’ batter but also understands that he can’t take the visitors to victory all by himself.

“At the end of the day I’m not saying I won’t get him out but if we don’t get him out there are 10 other people we can get out and if he’s stranded on 40 that’s not helping his team too much to be honest. We all know he’s a world-class batter and has the right temperament for Test cricket but he can’t do it all himself,” Archer added.

5 Cricketers who played for two countries