Injury Blow: Jofra Archer to Sit Out The Ashes and Remainder of Season

London: England fast bowler Jofra Archer’s cricketing future has suffered another blow as he will miss The Ashes series and the remainder of the summer due to a recurrence of a stress fracture in his right elbow. The 28-year-old has been plagued by elbow and back injuries, and his absence from Test cricket since March 2021 will be extended. Archer, who recently made a comeback to international cricket, will now undergo rehabilitation under the supervision of the England and Sussex medical teams.

Archer’s injury has left him “distraught,” according to ECB managing director Rob Key. While he has not been ruled out of the Cricket World Cup, which begins in October, Archer is seeking specialist advice regarding his injury. The pacer returned early from the Indian Premier League due to discomfort in his troublesome elbow, with the England and Wales Cricket Board acknowledging that he had been playing through the pain.

This setback adds to Archer’s history of elbow issues, dating back to early 2020 when he sustained a stress fracture that kept him sidelined for several months. He later underwent surgery in early 2021 after a freak injury at home. In May 2022, a stress injury in his back further hampered his playing time, forcing him to miss the entire year.

Despite the challenges, Archer made a comeback to international cricket in January 2023, featuring in seven matches against South Africa and Bangladesh. He showed glimpses of his old form, delivering his career-best ODI figures of 6/40 in just his second game back against South Africa.

While Archer’s absence is a significant blow to England’s plans, the focus now shifts to his recovery and eventual return to cricket. The ECB and fans hope to see Archer back in action, delivering match-winning performances for England in all formats of the game.