Archer is currently back in Barbados where he is due to play club cricket as he steps up his return to competitive action after an 11-month absence due to a recurrence of a long-term right elbow injury. The fast bowler, who turned 29 on Monday, was able to join Sussex’s pre-season preparation, including on a tour to Bengaluru, with head coach Paul Farbrace stating earlier this week that Archer was “bowling with an exceptional rhythm”.
Despite making just seven limited-overs appearances for England since March 2021, Archer was awarded a two-year central contract by the ECB in October. There is a strong belief that he can emerge from a nightmare few years, in which he also suffered a stress fracture in his back, as acute as when he burst onto the international scene in 2019.
Archer’s 2023 was plagued by setbacks, both in the IPL while he was with the Mumbai Indians and in England in late November for a week-long stint as a roving reserve for the ODI World Cup. As a result, England have opted for a slower, more controlled management of their return to action.
Key pulled Archer out of this year’s IPL to better monitor his rehabilitation and there is optimism about his progress so far. The five-match series with Pakistan begins on May 22, which will give Archer time to get back up to speed, although the ICC provisional squad deadline of May 1 means he may have already been named in the World Cup team by then.
“Absolutely,” Key told Sky Sports News when asked if Archer is considered for the World Cup squad. “Jofra, he was in Sussex’s preseason in India. He played fast there, he played very well.
“Now he’s just back in the Caribbean where he’ll play a bit of club cricket, things like that, all to prepare for that World T20. Hopefully he’ll play the Pakistan series. But it’s always fingers crossed at the moment with Jofra. “
Key also outlined a return to Test cricket in 2025, with a high-profile series against India at home followed by an away Ashes later. Archer, who has 42 Test wickets at 31.04, earned his last of 13 caps in February 2021. Such is the rarity of someone who can bowl the ball consistently above 90mph, England are hopeful that, With a little patience, Archer can make a complete return with the red ball.
“What we are going to do is take it slower instead of trying to go too fast so that we can get him back not just for a short period, but for a long period. And the whole plan with Jofra is that he is going to play cricket from white ball during this summer and facing winter.
“Then hopefully next summer when we play India and then the Ashes, we’ll get it back for Test cricket. It’s a slow process to get it back for all its forms.”