Jofra Archer Sustains Another Injury, Comeback Delayed

England fast bowler Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the 2022 English summer due to a stress fracture in the lower back. The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed on Thursday that he had been ruled out for the rest of the season after being diagnosed with a back problem. Jofra Archer played his last international match in March 2021 against India. Archer has undergone two operations on his elbow, the latest one in December 2021. He missed the ICC T20 World Cup in UAE, whereas he also missed the Ashes series for England.

It is more than a year since Archer last played international cricket, a Twenty20 against India in Ahmedabad last March. He missed last year’s T20 World Cup and the Ashes because of the injury to his elbow, which was operated on last May and again in December. His latest setback has put in doubt his participation in this year’s T20 World Cup, which starts in Australia in October Sad and disappointing news especially for him. Realistically can’t see him playing for England again other than IT20. With the type of injuries he’s had unfortunately unlikely to ever reach his full potential. This together with all the other fast bowling injuries we have, there needs to be a thorough review of training and bowling practices.

The ECB said in a statement that no timeframe had been set for his return. “No timeframe has been set for his return. A management plan will be determined following further specialist opinion over the coming days,” the ECB said. Archer, who last played for England in March 2021, had expected to make his comeback from a long-term elbow injury for Sussex in the T20 Blast next week and had scheduled to play warm-up matches before their opening fixture against Glamorgan Archer’s setback comes a week before the start of Sussex’s Vitality Blast campaign, in which he was hoping to make his comeback from a long-term elbow injury. In a statement the ECB said “no timeframe has been set for his return” and that “a management plan will be determined following further specialist opinion over the coming days”.