England fast-bowler Jofra Archer has declared himself “100-per-cent fit” for the first-ever BBL draft. This is a big step on his road back to elite level cricket. The 30-year-old fast bowler had a successful run at the domestic T20 circuit with Hobart Hurricanes in 2017 and 2018 seasons. Now, he hopes to win with bigger stakes on the line this year’s tournament. His striking record from his last BBL stint – 34 wickets at 23.26 – is a [stampede] in the right direction. This performance again demonstrates why he’s a potential game-changing player.
Now, Archer seems focused on recovering from a thumb injury that has kept him out for quite some time now. Even with this hiccup, he’s still feeling good about the reintroduction of his form to the sport. Archer is set to focus on red-ball cricket as he continues his rehabilitation. His priority would be the Ashes series in Australia this winter, where for him it will be the decisive act of his return. His involvement in the inaugural Big Bash draft is all part of Terbiat’s plan to generate some form in the lead-up to this highly-coveted series.
This makes Archer’s decision to enter the draft particularly telling, as he goes against the grain of most other English players. Since then, Ollie Pope and Jacob Bethell only signed on for partial participation, with commitments to play just four to six matches, plus the finals. By contrast, Archer is keen to immerse himself in the tournament. Spending the entire offseason fully committed to returning to form and proving his skills on the field.
The BBL draft, to be held on Thursday night, has Archer included alongside 50 other English players nominated to be selected. His depth of experience and proven capabilities will definitely have a lot of franchises giving him a look, as they look to beef up their rosters.
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