On Thursday, Jofra Archer walked onto the field for a first-class match for the first time in 1,501 days. This moment is an emotional milestone in his cricketing career. The fast bowler – who during his career has fought through sometimes career-ending glitches that necessitated 7 operations – was last seen playing for Sussex vs Nottinghamshire. This match will be remembered for his electrifying return to red-ball cricket. Here are some of the things it told us about Jason Holder’s possible long term future as a Test cricketer.
His absence from the world of first-class cricket owed to an almost absurd string of injuries. These ranged from elbow issues to a stress fracture of his back. These diligence led to him being out for a long time, with him being restricted to solely playing limited-overs formats since May 2021. Prior to his break, Archer had an excellent strike rate in Test cricket taking 42 wickets in only 13 matches.
In his return to the crease, Archer announced himself with the wicket of Emilio Gay pinned lbw. This was his first wicket in whites since bowling Jordan Cox in the match against Kent on May 14, 2021. He ended the day with figures of 1-28 from 14 overs after demonstrating an encouraging burst of pace and accuracy throughout the afternoon.
Archer’s return would be a significant boon for England as they prepare for an exciting Test series against India later in the summer. National selector Luke Wright was hopeful that Archer could be ready for the second Test at Edgbaston on 2 July.
“Now I know my body can hold up to it, the mental part of the game is a greater issue.” – Jofra Archer
Though there’s a lot of optimism surrounding his performance, Archer is well aware of the mental hurdles that come with getting back in the competitive game. He stated, “Over the next couple of days I’m going to have a battle with it. It’s all good. I’ll keep trucking along.”
Archer’s performance throughout this match will be under odious scrutiny from the selectors and supporters. He has not bowled more than 10 overs in a match since May 2021. That begs the question if he can maintain those paces over longer spells. His numbers from this outing look to the very well could be an indication of him returning to form.
As Archer further regains his fitness and confidence, the cricketing world will be all eyes. His return isn’t just important for his team—it’s vital for his career. Beyond that, it strengthens the England team’s bowling attack as they head into key matches, with a potentially huge India game looming.
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