England just got some bad news. Fast bowler Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the rest of the Ashes tour. He’s got a side strain. This means he won’t play in the upcoming Boxing Day Test at the MCG. The team made two big changes for that match, too. Gus Atkinson will replace Archer. And Jacob Bethell is coming in for Ollie Pope at number three.
Archer’s Ashes Ends Early with Side Strain
It’s a real blow for England. Jofra Archer, their key pace bowler, is heading home. He felt discomfort and had a scan in Melbourne on Tuesday. It confirmed a side strain. He’d had a limited workload in the second innings of the last game. Archer will return to the UK next week for more assessment, ESPN reported.
Archer had a pretty good series, actually. He took nine wickets overall. Six of those came in Australia‘s 82-run win in Adelaide. That was a tough loss for England. But Archer was a bright spot. Captain Ben Stokes had called his efforts “exceptional.” It’s a shame his comeback is cut short.
Remember, Archer only just made his Test comeback in July. He’d been out for over four years, dealing with elbow and back injuries. England expects him to be ready for the T20 World Cup in February. So that’s some good news, I guess. The team doesn’t plan to call up a replacement for the final Test. They still have Matthew Potts and Matthew Fisher available if needed. They’ll just stick with what they’ve got, it seems.
Pope Dropped, Bethell Steps Up
The other big news is Ollie Pope getting dropped. He hasn’t really fired in the series. So, Jacob Bethell will step in at number three. It’s a pretty big call. Pope was averaging 20.83 across the series. That’s not great. But it’s actually higher than Ben Duckett’s average. Duckett is only averaging 16.16 in six innings in Australia. But he’s been kept in the side.
This decision raises some eyebrows, honestly. Duckett’s form has been poor. And he’s also been caught up in some off-field stuff. The ECB is apparently investigating a viral video. It showed him appearing drunk and unsure how to get back to his hotel. It caused a bit of a fuss. But captain Ben Stokes has publicly and privately given him “complete support,” as ESPN stated. Stokes is standing by his man. It seems like the team wants to back Duckett to find his form.
It’s a bit of a gamble, really. Especially with the Ashes on the line. But Bethell gets his chance. And England needs someone to score runs at number three. We’ll see how he goes at the MCG. It’s a big stage for a debut or early appearance.
Australia Also Making Changes
England isn’t the only team shaking things up. Australia has some changes planned too. Pat Cummins is out. He needs back rehabilitation. Nathan Lyon is also missing. He has a torn hamstring. These are big losses for Australia, of course. Two key players sidelined. But Steven Smith is returning to the side. He’ll also captain the team. He’s been recovering from an illness. So that’s a boost for them.
They’ll want Smith’s experience. And his batting, naturally. It’s going to be a fascinating Boxing Day Test. Both teams have a lot to prove. Especially England, after their performances so far. They really need a win.
The Boxing Day Test is always massive. And with all these changes, it’s even more unpredictable. England really needs a strong performance. They need to show some fight. And the new players have to step up. It won’t be easy against a strong Australian side, even with their injuries. The pressure is really on the England squad now, many sources suggest.
Soureesh Datta 
Govind Singh