Jofra Archer, the England speedster rues missing the 2021 T20I World Cup and the Ashes, as he was recovering from an elbow injury. The paceman said no timeline exists for his international return, and he does not want to rush his recovery process.
He underwent surgery on his elbow, leading him to miss most, if not all, of England’s games in 2021. The 26-year old participated in the tour of India in early 2021 when the injury worsened. That ruled him out of the 14th season of the IPL, followed by the T20I World Cup and the Ashes.
Jofra Archer Felt He Had Let England Fans And Teammates Down A Little Bit For Being Injured And Not Participating In England’s Series Defeat In the Ashes
Jofra Archer said that he wanted to play the 2021 T20 World Cup and the Ashes Down Under. He added that he would have relished bowling in Australia, where seamers had a significant role. Jofra Archer was ruled out of the entire 2021 season following a recurrence of the stress fracture in his elbow.
“The hardest two pills I’ve had to swallow were not playing in the Twenty20 World Cup and the Ashes, but other than that, everything has been so good since.”
“Watching the Ashes, I felt like I had let everyone down a little bit, when you see fast bowlers taking 90 per cent of the wickets — but you don’t get injured on purpose. Of course, I want to be part of making this England team a success, but this past year has taught me that you can plan all you want, then something happens to change everything.”
England indeed missed Jofra Archer’s services in the Ashes series, as he would have troubled Australia’s batters. The 26-year old’s inclusion might have made the series closer, and the tourists could have conjured a win or two.
The England side went down losing the Ashes 4-0 managing a draw in the 4th Test where the last wicket pair of
James Anderson and Stuart Broad ensured the series wasn’t whitewashed. However, Jofra Archer isn’t due to return until at least the upcoming English summer.
Jofra Archer May Not Be Seen In Action In International Cricket For 5 More Months
Jofra Archer has said that physios have advised him against high-intensity training. The right-arm speedster expects to sit out five more months of international cricket, and wants to take his time. Given that he has only played six Tests, three ODIs, and 11 T20Is since he was first troubled by the problem, the news is bound to raise question marks about Jofra Archer’s future career.
Jofra Archer, who is currently in the West Indies, added: “Within myself, I know I am not ready yet, but having access to the doctors, the physio and removing the need to go back to England feels like a real plus. I feel like I am stealing time right now. Right now, I can do everything but it’s small step.”
“I have no idea when I will be playing matches, I am just trying to build up and it’s all about what I can tolerate at any given time. That’s all. I’ve had a few rehabs now, and sometimes it can get to a level where you aggravate your hand, and you have to back off a little bit. I’ve waited long enough so it makes no sense rushing the last bit. I’ve got five months at my disposal, so it will be whenever I’m ready.”
The 26-year old notably linked up with England’s T20I squad, which is currently involved in a five-game T20I series against the West Indies. He reportedly performed some light training and caught up with the English players.