Jofra Archer Out, Ollie Pope Dropped as England Name Playing XI for Boxing Day Ashes Test

England fast bowler Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the remaining two Ashes tests with a left side strain, a team official said on Wednesday. The fast bowler Archer spent four years fighting an array of fitness problems, including stress fractures of the back and right elbow, but has been in strong form since making his long-awaited red-ball return against India.

Archer’s Injury Forces England to Make Changes Ahead of Final Ashes Tests

The fourth test starts on Friday in the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the fifth on Jan. 4 in Sydney. Australia leads, 3-0, in the five-test series and has retained the Ashes 2025-26. Archer joined the squad at training on Wednesday at the MCG, but played no part in practice, and a spokesperson later confirmed he was out for the remainder of the tour. He had bowled 80 overs in the games at Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide, picked up nine wickets at 27.11 while maintaining the lowest strike-rate among England bowlers.

In the third test at Adelaide, he took five for 53 in the first innings and scored 51 runs. Gus Atkinson replaces Archer in the visitors' XI named on Wednesday, while Jacob Bethell has replaced No. 3 Ollie Pope for the Melbourne test. Pope is averaging 20.83 with the bat for the series.

The team had investigated Ben Duckett after footage emerged this week, apparently showing the 31-year-old inebriated between the second and third tests, but he retained his place despite averaging 16 for the series.

England Playing XI (4th Ashes Test)

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes, Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue

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