India, June 3 -- England captain Ben Stokes has backed fast bowler Jofra Archer after his absence from the opening Test against New Zealand due to IPL commitments. Archer remained with the Rajasthan Royals until the end of their campaign, which concluded in Qualifier 2 against the Gujarat Titans last Friday. As a result, the pacer was unavailable for England's first Test at Lord's, which begins on Thursday. Rajasthan's defeat ended their hopes of reaching the final and securing the title, but the timing of the match left Archer with little opportunity to rejoin the England squad in time. Stokes, however, expressed support for his teammate, acknowledging the demands of the modern cricket calendar and the commitments players have across for...