England’s injury-plagued fast is working his way back to full health, with his sights set on a comeback to Test cricket against Australia. Jofra Archer is ready to put in the “hard yards” for the Ashes and World Cup this year, but England’s speed ace is conscious of the expectations that await him. Jofra Archer led England to victory in the 2019 ODI World Cup, then grabbed 22 wickets at a staggering 20.27 in the Ashes that summer, but his career has since been derailed by elbow and back ailments.
Jofra Archer ready for Ashes
Also Raed: BBL: Thunder set sights on finals run after ‘rollercoaster’ season
Archer is set to make his first England appearance since March 2021 in an ODI series against South Africa this week, after taking eight wickets in five matches in his competitive return in the SA20 this month. While a red-ball appearance is still a long way off for Jofra Archer, who claims he is now “around 80%” healthy, he is willing to do everything it takes to play for England against Australia this summer. It’s an intriguing proposition to think about playing with the boys again, particularly with the kind of cricket they’re playing,” Jofra Archer said.
Also Raed: BBL: Gillespie a mainstay after Strikers’ ‘little blip’: Head
“I need to spend the next two, three, or four months fine-tuning my physique and becoming more robust. Let me take care of it first, and then I can look forward to handling the red ball again. “Overs are overs, and you practice and bowl until you feel comfortable. Obviously, I may have to perform some additional bowling during my time in India (for the IPL, likely in April and May). But that’s OK because I want to play in the Ashes, so I’m going to have to put in the effort to check those boxes.”
Also Raed: BBL: News Big Bash Team of The Tournament
Jofra Archer’s breakthrough performances in 2019 have earned him high acclaim, and the 27-year-old acknowledged that there would be a lot of interest in how he performs in the next weeks and months. Red and white-ball captains Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler have sought to put Jofra Archer at ease, with the fast bowler apparently ready for England’s first ODI of the year in Bloemfontein on Friday, which kicks off the countdown to the World Cup defense in India in October-November.
Also Raed: BBL: Thunder scrape home against Stars to secure a home final in Big Bash 2023, Match 56
Ben and Jos both indicated there is no expectation,” Jofra Archer added. “That’s good to hear it, but people will still have expectations. Hopefully, I’ll be able to contribute in some way to the team. “Many people will be watching if I don’t do properly while I play. I’ll be assessed again, and no one will remember what I did in SA20. You are only as excellent as your most recent performance. This is our first ODI of the year, so I’m extremely happy to be playing from the start, and maybe I’ll be there when we go to India, and everything will seem worth it.”