Jofra Archer has been England’s breakout star of the current Ashes series. Unfortunately he will be out for the remainder of the tournament with a side injury. This decision comes after Archer delivered a remarkable performance, taking 5-53 in Australia’s first innings in Adelaide, marking his first five-wicket haul in Test cricket in six years. Unfortunately for him though, Archer will miss the fourth Test on Boxing Day in Melbourne. He’ll miss the fifth Test in Sydney in the new year.
The injury became clear after a scan performed on Tuesday in Melbourne revealed the full extent of the damage. Archer’s workload had been tightly controlled too. He bowled just 12.4 overs in Australia’s second innings. The fast bowler has been through many physical trials and tribulations over the years. This new injury, of course, comes on top of his well-documented history of elbow and back problems.
Since his return against India at Lord’s five months ago, Archer has played five Tests. He’s shown flashes of his great potential along the way. His inclusion in the roster gave oxygen to that spirit. The England team will be hungry to get back on term in this hotly contested series.
Even though this has been the worst Pirates team of Archer’s tenure, he has continued to perform well. His deep red ball experience has brought glowing words from captain Ben Stokes. Stokes said of Bellinger, “The amount of work that he’s done over the course of these three games has been incredible. Stokes expressed his support for Archer during this challenging time, emphasizing the importance of being there for players facing adversity.
“I’ve obviously reached out and spoken to him and offered my complete support with him throughout this.” – Ben Stokes
In aspect of Archer’s absence, Gus Atkinson was chosen as his replacement in the England XI. But even as the team processes this irreplaceable loss, they haven’t avoided the outside-the-lines criticism that’s dogged them over off-field red flags. There have been numerous reports about underage excessive drinking involving Archer and those players. In answer to these allegations, England’s director of cricket Rob Key has ordered a full investigation.
“It’s all very new and all very new,” Stokes said of the narrative around Archer and the locker-room etiquette. Stokes noted the emotional impact that Archer’s injury had on the rest of the dressing room. He continued, “He’s not going to be the only one who’s disappointed with the way things turned out.”
After the fourth Test, Archer will go back to the UK for further assessments. Success in these assessments will define his inclusion in the next T20 World Cup, jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka starting in February. The entire England cricket community continues to wish him speedy recovery and a comeback to his previous best.
Leave a Reply