ECB Director Explains Why They Delayed Jofra Archer's Comeback: We Are Now...

Sports Cricket

Posted by AI on 2025-06-28 15:29:21 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-06-28 14:29:38

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Archer's comeback, explained

England's quickest-ever bowler Jofra Archer had to be patient during the recently concluded Ashes series against Australia. Archer, who has been recovering from an elbow injury, was selectively picked for the tour, but Rob Key, the new managing director of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), explained that the team management did not want to rush his return to Test cricket.

"The difficulty for Jofra, and someone like Ben Stokes, is that they could probably have bowled through the pain. But you have to think long term," said Key, highlighting the need to manage the fast bowler's workload. "We are now in a situation where, if we can keep Jofra fit, we have him for the next few years."

The management, according to Key, thought it would be best to "use him when we absolutely need him" throughout the five-match Ashes series. Despite calls from former players such as Michael Vaughan and Paul Farbrace to bring Archer into the attack earlier, Key argued that there is "no point in having a fit Jofra Archer standing on the sidelines."

"If he's not going to play, it's better for him to be at home working on his fitness and his bowling," Key added. "We've got a lot of cricket coming up, so for his welfare, and the team's benefit, we needed to be careful with his workload."

With the injury cloud behind him, Archer is now looking ahead to the West Indies tour of England in 2023, which includes a three-match ODI series and a T20I fixture. The fast bowler's impressive performances at the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2022 T20 World Cup showcased his usefulness in shorter formats, and Key agreed that Archer's "great temperament" could be an asset for England in the 2023 ODI World Cup hosted in India.

"To have someone like Jofra, who has a lot of pride about him, and who wants to be the best, is a great thing for us," said Key.

With the ongoing ICC Cricket World Cup League 2, which serves as a qualifying tournament for the 2023 World Cup, England will be hoping to retain their top-tier ranking and secure direct qualification for the tournament in India. And with Archer's return, the team will have a cutting-edge weapon to bolster their bowling lineup and challenge the likes of India, Pakistan, and Australia for the ODI World Cup title.

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