England fast bowler Jofra Archer has found himself at the centre of a fiery controversy after arriving at Brisbane's Gabba ground for the third day of the second Ashes Test carrying a pillow.
Australian Legends Blast "Shocking Look"
The unusual sight, captured by television cameras before play on Saturday, did not go unnoticed in the Channel 7 commentary box. Australian cricket greats Matthew Hayden and Simon Katich were scathing in their assessment of the Englishman's comfort item.
"Sorry, but that's a shocking look," Hayden declared emphatically. "If I was a batsman, I tell you what I would be doing, I would be digging in... Forever!" He suggested the visual would serve as powerful motivation for any Australian batter, vowing they would ensure Archer got no rest during the day's play.
Katich echoed the sentiment, quipping that if Hayden was facing Archer, he would have greeted him with: "'night-time is for sleeping champ, you're not going to get a chance today'." Katich further questioned the move, stating, "I agree, I don't think it's a great look, bringing a pillow to a Test. He had plenty of chances to sleep last night."
Ponting's Puzzling Encounter and Archer's Unfulfilled Hope
The pillow also caught the eye of another Australian icon, Ricky Ponting, who shared a curious exchange with England batsman Ben Duckett. "I couldn't believe it, I was walking straight towards him," Ponting recounted. "He gives me a bit of a glance and Ben Duckett was 10m behind him. I said, 'What is going on here?' He said, 'Don't even ask me, I don't want to talk about it'."
Archer's apparent hope was for a swift conclusion to Australia's first innings. Resuming at 6-378, a quick wrap-up would have allowed England to bat and potentially given the bowlers some respite. However, the plan spectacularly backfired. The Australian tail dug in, pushing the total to 511 before finally being dismissed halfway through the middle session, ensuring a long, pillow-free day in the field for Archer and his teammates.
Durability Questions Resurface
The incident has inadvertently shone a light on ongoing concerns regarding Archer's fitness and longevity in the longest format of the game. Katich pointedly referenced the bowler's sparse Test record, noting "his durability was questioned before the series. The 15 tests in six years."
While seemingly a minor prop, the pillow has become a symbolic talking point, representing a perceived lack of professional seriousness in the cauldron of an Ashes battle—a narrative fiercely promoted by the uncompromising Australian legends of past campaigns.
