England hopeful of Jofra Archer's return for T20 World Cup 2024
Jofra Archer has been out of action since IPL 2023.
England are hopeful of the return of their fast bowler Jofra Archer ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024. The speedster is currently going through rehabilitation due to his recurring elbow injury which has troubled him since 2022. The 28-year-old made his international comeback in 2023 after 21 months but was once again sidelined due to his injury.
Hence, the England team management are carefully monitoring him keeping the T20 World Cup in focus. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) even asked the fast bowler to pull out of IPL 2024 as they wanted to manage his workload.
Also Read: ECB asks Jofra Archer to pull out of IPL 2024 auction keeping T20 World Cup 2024 in mind
"Our plan is the T20 World Cup, building him up slowly. He (Archer) wanted to play in the IPL, but we said not this time. Hopefully, the years he has missed, he can add to the end of his career. He is such a talent,” said Rob Key on the BBC's 'Tailenders Podcast.
Archer travelled with the England side to India for the ODI World Cup 2023 as a reserve. However, he once again experienced elbow pain while training in Mumbai and returned back home within a week.
The 28-year-old further travelled with the England side to the Caribbean in December 2023 where he trained with the white-ball team. He even played for his former school side in Barbados towards the end of the last year without official clearance from the England camp showing his commitment to play cricket.
Also Read: ‘Injured’ Jofra Archer puts on a show for his old school team in Barbados without ECB’s knowledge
I saw him bowl in the Caribbean, and it was like he'd never been away: Rob Key
"I saw him bowl in the Caribbean, and it was like he'd never been away. I don't want to get back to this thing where he plays and then goes down again," Key added.
In his short career so far, Archer has played 13 Tests and 21 ODIs picking 42 wickets each in both formats. He even has 18 wickets to his name from 15 T20Is at an average of 24.66. Archer is known for defending 15 runs in the Super Over of the famous ODI World Cup 2019 final.
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