After a two-year absence, right-arm fast bowler Jofra Archer is ready to make a comeback to the England team. Recently he has given an update on his condition and outlined his ambitions for the World Cup,
In one interview, Archer estimated “about 80 percent” in his recovery and returned to competitive action this month. He has so far played five T20 matches for MI Cape Town in the SA20. During those matches, he took eight wickets at 18.00 with a strike rate of 7.57.
The last time archer played in an international outing was in March 2021. His comeback last year was shelved due to a stress fracture in the lower back, having overcome elbow trouble that necessitated two operations.
When interviewed about his health status, Archer stated, “I’m still a bit stiff and trying to take some of the rust away. I’d probably say I’m about 80 percent. Just some fine-tuning now. Just more discipline than actual cricket stuff.”
“I know whenever I’m fully fit, I don’t think there’s much that can stop me, it’s just a matter of when that was going to be,” he added.
He further talked about what he did during his recovery period and insisted he remained upbeat despite long spells of rehabilitation. The player revealed he spent large spells on the mend in Barbados, where he was born, and has had plenty of company with his six dogs – Sheba, a French Mastiff, plus American Bullies Ace, Onyx, Ghost, Nova, and Luna.
Reports say he will likely play no more than two of the three ODIs against South Africa, which will be contested in the space of six days.
The South Africa series will take place in Bloemfontein on January 27, with England set to rotate their options to avoid piling on players’ workloads.
When asked about his goals for the World Cup, Archer stated that he aims to pick up where he left off after nearly two years away from the international game. This year’s itinerary offers him the chance to replicate his remarkable impact in his debut summer as an England player.
According to England’s white-ball coach, Matthew Mott, there is no certainty regarding how much Archer will play in future matches.
“We will work through it with him, see how his body is coping,” Mott said. “I definitely think he is a high priority and he will be managed as well as possible. Part of getting him into the Test summer is making sure he’s bowling enough.”
He further stated, “What he is very big on is not wasting too many balls in practice. He really loves his match balls and that’s a great attest of his resilience. We will keep talking to him about his bowling loads and how he’s going.”
It was back in January 2020 that Archer first showed signs of issues with his fitness status. In the following years, Archer missed several games due to health issues. In May 2022, he was diagnosed with a stress fracture on his lower back and told he will miss the entire domestic summer.