It is probably time for fast bowler Jofra Archer to repay the investment that England cricket has put in him, said former cricketer Stuart Broad ahead of the Test series against India. Jofra Archer, who rose to popularity in 2019 for his exceptional fast bowling, has had his career marred with injuries. Jofra Archer showed promise by returning to action in the 2023 season, and then played most games in the Champions Trophy 2025 and the Indian Premier League as well.
England have been dealt with a massive blow after Jofra Archer’s injury. The speedster was supposed to take part in West Indies ODI series commencing from 29th May. Jofra Archer was a part of RR in IPL 2025 and had taken 11 wickets in 12 matches and wasn’t that threatening apart from the last 3-4 matches.
England vs India Test series is set to commence from 20th June. Jofra Archer is now the key member of bowling unit with no James Anderson & Stuart Broad on the side who have hung up their boots. Mark Wood has been ruled out with injury for the entire summer and Jofra Archer’s injury can give headaches to ECB, Brendon McCullum & Ben Stokes ahead of a bumper Test series.
Jofra Archer topsy turvy career in international career .
One of the biggest assets for England is the return of Jofra Archer. The 29-year-old’s career until now has been plagued by injuries; he made his return to the T20 World Cup after overcoming an elbow injury that kept him out for almost a year. In his return for the Three Lions, Jofra Archer took ten scalps across eight matches. However, despite his return, he is missing out on the series as England management has decided to stick with their cautious and steady approach to introducing him back into the red-ball set-up.
Jofra Archer starred for England at the recent T20 World Cup, picking up ten wickets at an average of 19 as Jos Buttler’s side were knocked out in the semi-finals by eventual winners India. However, England have said he will not make his Test return until 2025. England Test captain Ben Stokes has stated Jofra Archer’s unbridled desire to wear the white jersey again for the national team.
England Test captain Ben Stokes has stated Jofra Archer’s unbridled desire to wear the white jersey again for the national team. However, he understands the need not to risk the pacer at this stage. Jofra Archer had a sensational debut Test series, taking 22 scalps in four matches during the 2019 Ashes. However, the right-arm speedster hasn’t played in the format since 2021 and returned to international cricket this year after a lengthy hiatus due to injuries.
Jofra Archer bowled in 12 matches of the IPL 2025, picking up 11 wickets. The speedster bowled some exceptional spells in the powerplay, wrecking the top orders. Jofra Archer made his comeback to red-ball cricket after more than four years on Sunday (June 22), and on Monday, he picked up 1 wicket for 28 runs in 14 overs for Sussex against Durham in the County Championship Division One match taking place at Riverside Ground in Chester-le-Street.
Jofra Archer’s stint with Sussex on his return to red ball
England speedster Jofra Archer has made his comeback to red-ball cricket after four years of injury layoff in the County Championship game between Sussex and Durham and is very likely to play England’s second Test against India at Edgbaston, Birmingham, starting July 2. But upon his return to competitive cricket, he has found himself under fire for a possible breach of discipline. The 30-year-old is likely to be fined by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for wearing the wrong colour socks during his County Championship match.
Jofra Archer bowled 18 overs, picked up a wicket and conceded 32 runs on day two at Chester-le-Street. Archer also scored 31 lower down the order in Sussex’s first innings. However, despite his rather impressive outing, his socks could land him in trouble with the ECB. That is because the County Championship’s rule mandates that “socks must be of white or light grey colour only,” but Archer wore black ones instead. Jofra Archer’s gaffe could result in a fine or a reprimand from the ECB.
However, regardless of the punishment Archer receives from the ECB, England will be optimistic of getting the speedster on board at Edgbaston, especially after India piled up 835 in two innings at Headingley, with four batters hitting tons, including two by Rishabh Pant.
Jofra Archer last played for England in 2021 against India at Ahmedabad, while his last Test in England came at Southampton against Pakistan in 2020. The Barbados-born fast bowler has so far played 13 Tests and picked up 42 wickets and is confident that his body is ready for longer format of cricket.
Jofra Archer is confident that his body will sustain the longer format of cricket
Jofra Archer says that the mental challenge of returning to four-day cricket after a four-year absence has been a bigger issue than the physical toil. However, he is confident that his body will be ready for Test cricket if he gets the call-up later this summer.
Speaking to Sussex Cricket at Chester-le-Street after the second day’s play, where he had dismissed Emilio Gay lbw for his first first-class wicket for 1,501 days, Jofra Archer admitted the experience had been “mentally tough” on a surface that offered very little lateral movement for the bowlers.
Jofra Archer’s return to action this summer was delayed by an injured right thumb that he sustained during the IPL. However, he classified that setback alongside the freak glass cut he received from a broken fishtank back in 2021, calling it more of an “accident than an injury” compared to the career-threatening elbow and back fractures that have chequered his recent career. Speaking to reporters at the end of the second day’s play, Jofra Archer looked confident about the recall to the Test side.
“I guess so. I just want to get through the game,” Archer told Daily Mail when asked if he is ready for Test cricket.
“I’m glad I’ve finished a day of four-day cricket. The last time I played, I made it to tea. I’m glad to go all the way today. I guess I looked fine today. You’d have to tell me, but I felt fine. I guess I’m faced with a different challenge now I know my body can hold up to it—the mental part of the game. So I think over the next couple of days I’m going to have a battle with it, but it’s all good. I’ll keep trucking along,” Archer added.
Jofra Archer said as of now there are no workload restrictions.
“When the scoreboard got to 50 overs, I was like, ‘Jesus, it’s time to come off now,’ but we got to the end of the day, and it wasn’t that bad. I did 14 today. Who knows how many I’m going to do tomorrow? There’s no limit. There can’t be. If you look at a Test match, you can’t have restrictions if you’re potentially going to go in and play.”
Jofra Archer, who has 42 wickets to his name in 13 Tests played so far, last took the field for England in whites against India during the Ahmedabad Test played from February 24 to 25 in 2021. In addition to his bowling, Jofra Archer impressed with his batting as well for Sussex.
He came out to bat at No. 10 in the first innings and, with the help of three fours and one six, scored 31 runs from 34 balls. Jofra Archer feels he is ready to make a return to Test cricket and could take the field for England in the second Test against India, which is set to take place at Edgbaston in Birmingham from July 2 to 6.
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