"If he takes it off, he might be able to bowl quicker" - Former Australian seamer takes brutal dig at Jofra Archer ahead of Ashes 2025-26 3rd Test

Former Australian seamer Ryan Harris has given Jofra Archer a candid advise, keeping in mind his performances in the ongoing Ashes series. Harris feels the right-arm quick can bowl a lot faster if he removes his extravagant gold chain.

With England sending one of their fastest pace-bowling attacks to Australia in a long time, there was plenty of hype around Archer. While he was hugely threatening in the first innings of the opening Test, the Barbadian's pace and performance have dropped ever since. In two Tests, he has claimed only three wickets, averaging 57.

Speaking on SEN Radio, the 40-year-old took a dig at Archer, urging him to stop showing off his money. Harris also opined that the England speedster's body is currently 'wrecked' and that he hasn't played a lot of Test cricket ahead of this series.

As quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald, he said:

"If he takes it off, he might be able to bowl quicker. We all know you’ve got a bit of money, mate, take it off, will ya? He came out with 60 runs to go and pulled the handbrake off which, from everyone’s point of view, was so disappointing. But what we also have to think about is this bloke hasn’t played any red-ball cricket, Test cricket, back-to-back cricket for a number of years."

"Any cricket he has played has been four-over stuff, or the odd one-dayer. His body is wrecked, we know that. He’s got a bad elbow. It’s bloody hard to bowl fast, and you have got to practice it, and do a lot of it," he added.

The 30-year-old was also involved in a verbal scuffle with Australia star Steve Smith during the closing moments of the second Test in Brisbane. It is likely to be one of the major subplots in the remaining three Tests. Australia are leading 2-0.

"He rocks up with his pillow under his arm" - Ricky Ponting on Jofra Archer

Speaking on SEN Radio, former Australian captain Ricky Ponting opined that Archer needed to bring up his most fearsome spell on Day 3 in Brisbane when the Test was at a knife's edge. Ponting said:

"To bowl his fastest spell ever in Test cricket, when Australia’s chasing 60 … it [his bowling at high speed] has been there the whole time, it’s been up his sleeve, and England have needed him to do it, and he hasn’t been willing to do. Day three, when they needed him to do it, he rocks up with his pillow under his arm, and that was always going to be a bad day for England from that moment."

The third Ashes Test in Adelaide begins on December 17, as England aim to bounce back from a 0-2 deficit.