Jofra Archer to miss England’s winter tours to the West Indies in January and March after undergoing second surgery on his elbow.
England’s premier fast bowler Archer doesn’t seem to be getting any respite as he has been further sidelined from action until the next summer. On December 11, he underwent a second surgery on his injured elbow in London to “address the long-standing stress fracture of his right elbow.”
“A return to cricket will be determined in time, but Jofra will not be available for any of England’s remaining Winter series,”
the ECB said in a statement on Tuesday.
Archer has been sidelined from international cricket since March due to an injury. He tried to make a comeback in the County Championship for Sussex in May but could not finish the match, subsequently undergoing a first operation on his elbow.
Later in August, the ECB confirmed that the recurrence of the injury has ruled Archer out of the T20 World Cup and the Ashes. Earlier, his Indian Premier League franchise Rajasthan Royals not retaining him ahead of the mega auction had raised suspicions over his rehabilitation. It remains to be seen if he will be available in the mega auction and the following edition of the tournament.
The 26-year-old bowler had previously written in his column that he was hopeful of gaining fitness for a three-match Test series against the Windies in March 2022. However, the latest setback pushes his return even further.
Archer spoke to Australia’s Channel 7 during the first Ashes Test, where he stressed the need to be patient:
“Everything is moving forward quite nicely. It’s just a matter of waiting a little bit more and being a little bit more patient because I’m almost at the end of the road.”
Archer broke onto the international stage in a spectacular fashion, playing a crucial role in England’s 2019 ODI World Cup triumph. Jofra claimed 20 wickets across 11 matches in the tournament at 23.05, followed by a decisive super over in the final at Lord’s.
Archer’s last international assignment was England’s tour of India, where he played two Tests and five T20Is. His elbow issues resurfaced on this tour and he needed a cortisone injection to make it through.
“I just want to get this injury sorted once and for all and that’s why I’m not looking that far ahead or at dates for a return to action. Because if I don’t get this right, I won’t play any cricket. Period,”
Archer wrote in his column in May.
