London: England captain Ben Stokes revealed that Jofra Archer has been eager to return to Test bowling, writing him a text message inquiring about whether he might return after more than four years due to injuries.
Stokes opened up about their recent conversations before England faced India in a Test during a press conference ahead of that matchup. Stokes noted that Jofra is eager to return, sending me an SMS asking about the Zimbabwe Test—I felt obliged to respond, “Let’s wait,” because while I know you feel positive now, let’s not rush you back out there.” Archer hasn’t played since February 2021 due to elbow issues as well as suffering an IPL thumb injury that prevented his participation; therefore, he will miss his first Test against India.
This weekend, Archer will make his comeback against Durham in the County Championship to demonstrate his fitness. Luke Wright, the England selector, expressed optimism about Jofra’s potential inclusion in the second Test against Ireland at Edgbaston on July 2, provided everything proceeds as planned. Adding second team matches to his strategy could increase his workload and pave the way for an eventual red-ball comeback after four years away.
Archer made his Test debut in 2019 and since then has only made 13 appearances, taking 42 wickets at an average of 31.04 with his fiery pace revolutionizing the game, but injuries such as frequent stress fractures in his elbow as well as a thumb injury have limited his career progression.
Stokes also noted Archer had been performing well in white-ball cricket of late, which gave Stokes assurances that things were in the right direction for Archer and that the circumstances were heading in a positive direction. “He’s had a difficult journey, but it is rewarding to see him bowl well again in white-ball cricket,” Stokes noted, noting they are working out a plan to bring Archer back to Test cricket as soon as possible. Fans celebrated Archer on social media, discussing his potential influence.
Archer will bolster England’s attack in India and the Ashes. Although he must pass fitness tests to return, it’s evident he’s looking forward to wearing Test whites again.