Jofra Archer’s hopes of making a triumphant return to international cricket have been dashed, as England’s ace seamer has been excluded from the squad for the upcoming New Zealand series and is only included as a “travelling reserve” for the provisional World Cup squad in India.
Archer’s fitness struggle
The decision has been attributed to Archer’s ongoing struggle to regain full fitness following a stress fracture of the elbow earlier this year. England selector Luke Wright confirmed that Archer’s exclusion is a result of the timing and the necessity to prioritise his long-term well-being.
“There has got to be a duty of care with Jof,” Wright expressed. “He’s been very unfortunate with these injuries… unfortunately, we’re just running out of time.”
Archer’s absence from the cricket scene has been palpable, given his pivotal role as England’s leading wicket-taker in their triumphant 2019 World Cup campaign. However, the seamer’s injury woes have persisted since he sustained an elbow injury during IPL 2023.
In his stead, England has named a squad with six frontline seamers for the provisional World Cup squad, acknowledging the potential need for replacements due to the injury-prone nature of the team’s fast bowlers. The final deadline for the World Cup squad submission is set for September 28.
Rushing Archer not an option
“We cannot have a bowler that might not be available for the second half and definitely not for the first half,” Wright explained. Despite the possibility of Archer potentially joining the team in the later stages of the tournament if his rehabilitation progresses positively, the selectors have made a tough call to prioritize his well-being over an expedited return.
“Is there an opportunity or a place where potentially he could play at the back-end of a tournament, if all things go well and there was an injury? Yes, there’s a potential chance,” Wright acknowledged.
However, he emphasised the importance of a cautious approach to Archer’s recovery and reiterated that rushing him back into the game is not an option.
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