‘Breather from social media’ – Hussain explains what Archer can learn from recent events
Nasser Hussain has advised Jofra Archer to “shut himself off from the outside world for a while” after the England pacer receive racist abuse on social media during his five-day self-isolation period.
Archer was excluded from the England squad for the second Test against West Indies for breaching the bio-secure protocol, following which he revealed that he received racist abuse on social media. Hussain, condemning the abuse Archer received, urged him to focus on the upcoming Test and perform well to “silence the noise”.
“He might also consider taking a breather from social media,” Hussain wrote in his column for the Daily Mail. “I know it’s easy for a fuddy-duddy like me to say because these young lads seem to be on Twitter and Instagram 24/7. But if he’s going to draw any lessons from what’s happened over the past week, the best one might be to shut himself off from the outside world for a while.
“While the racism he has received is abhorrent and should not be tolerated for one second, people around him have to remind him that the cricketing criticism he has faced is all just noise.
“I know what it’s like. You can have 50 people on Twitter praise something you’ve done on Sky but it’s the one negative comment you take to heart. So Jofra has to be strong because for every 10 idiots on social media, there are thousands who wish him well and nothing will silence the noise better than a five-wicket haul to help England win the series.”
Things you love to see. 😄 pic.twitter.com/fwqdF8xaQ0
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 23, 2020
Hussain further advised Archer to not lose sight of the fact that playing for England is “a huge privilege and should above all be enjoyed” even as he accepted that he himself couldn’t follow the mantra all the time.
“One last point – and it’s one I didn’t apply very well when I was a player,” he wrote. “Representing England, even with the baggage it can bring, is a huge privilege and should above all be enjoyed. It’s important that Jofra doesn’t lose sight of that. If he can keep his perspective through all of this, he will still be what he was at the start of it: one of England’s most exciting fast-bowling talents for years.”
