Jofra Archer was advised to not playing Indian Premier League in 2024 in the view of T20 World Cup in June later this year.
New Delhi: Defending champions England are likely to get Jofra Archer boost ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024, after the pacer is progressing in the right way in recovering from his recurring elbow injury, said England’s director of cricket, Rob Key. Archer has been dealing with the injury since 2022 which sidelined him from cricket for more than a year. The 28-year-old returned to competitive cricket in 2023 but was once again sidelined due to the same.
According to Key, the England and Wales Cricket Board are monitoring Archer’s progress closely and badly want him for the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA in June. It was under the ECB’s suggestion that Archer decided to pull out of IPL 2024.
“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,” Key was quoted as saying to BBC’s ‘Tailenders Podcast.
Earlier last year, Archer travelled with the England team to India (during ODI World Cup) and West Indies. During his time in India, the right-arm fast bowler complained of elbow pain while training in Mumbai and had to return back home. He then was on the flight to Caribbean and trained with the white-ball team.
Archer, who played a crucial role in England 2019 World Cup triumph, played for his former school side in Barbados. “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.
Archer so far in his short career, played 13 Tests and 21 ODIs. He picked 42 wickets each in both formats. Archer played 15 T20Is and has 18 wickets to his name. Meanwhile, Archer had played for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2023. He played in five games but took just two wickets.