Jofra Archer is set to make his first-class return at long last. The 30-year-old England all-rounder will be available for Sussex’s squad for their next County Championship fixture against Durham. What a huge accomplishment for Archer! He indeed hasn’t played a first-class match in over four years due to a variety of injuries.
Archer’s long road back to the pitch has been filled with hurdles, specifically with his right elbow and back. In 2022, he experienced a stress fracture to his back, which delayed his return to the field. More recently, he sat out T20 and 50-over games against the West Indies because of a minor thumb injury. He’s so far found a way to get through a year of white-ball cricket without too many touchy-feelys coming around.
In 2023, Archer splendidly returned to international cricket with the T20 World Cup. When he broke onto the world stage, he did it with a bang at this year’s Champions Trophy. He has appeared in nine Tests for England thus far. His most recent outings in whites came during that fateful third Test in India over in 2021. In the short span of his Test career, Archer has bagged 22 wickets at a spectacular average of 20.27. He’s most famously remembered for putting the fear of God into Steve Smith on the Lord’s nursery pitch. In that same match, he bowled a deadly bouncer that hit the Australian batter on the neck and made him retire hurt.
England’s management has been meticulous in overseeing Archer’s schedule over the past year, with hopes that he could play a pivotal role in the forthcoming Ashes series against Australia. If Archer comes through the four-day match against Sussex with flying colours, he should be considered for the second Test against India. That game starts on July 2nd at Edgbaston.
Archer is still a terrifying prospect on the field, still able to bowl at speeds well over 90mph. For him personally, his return to first-class cricket after his rehab period is an immense achievement. Alongside the focus it puts on his work for the England camp in this international window, it raises expectations.
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