Jofra Archer
England Test captain Ben Stokes expressed caution about rushing injured fast bowler Jofra Archer back into the team.

England Test captain Ben Stokes has revealed that star fast bowler Jofra Archer is eager to return to the Test format, but Stokes is urging caution to protect Archer’s long-term health.

Archer’s career has been plagued by injuries since his explosive debut in the 2019 Ashes, where he bagged 22 wickets in his first four Tests. He has only managed nine Tests since then, with his last appearance coming against India in early 2021.

While Jofra Archer made a successful return to international cricket at the recent T20 World Cup, taking eight wickets in eight matches, Stokes is prioritising managing Archer’s workload to avoid further setbacks.

“I know that Jofra is desperate to get back in a Test shirt for England. He’s very passionate about playing for England, and he’s still got a lot of passion to play Test cricket. But he’s been through a very, very tough few years,” Stokes said, according to The Telegraph.

“Watching him play in the World Cup was obviously great. But I’m very close with Jofra, and it was just great to see him back out on the field,” added Stokes. Stokes emphasised the importance of a long-term perspective for Archer’s career. “It’s about not getting too giddy with it. If we don’t have him for a year, let’s say, but it prolongs his career for another two or three years, that’s what we are looking to do. We’re not looking to rush Jof back,” added the skipper.

Archer’s potential return comes as England’s pace attack undergoes a transition following the retirement of veteran bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Broad called it quits after the 2023 Ashes, while Anderson’s farewell came in the first Test against the West Indies at Lord’s.

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In Anderson’s absence, England recalled Mark Wood to the squad for the second Test at Trent Bridge. However, Stokes confirmed that Atkinson and Chris Woakes will be entrusted with the new ball.

“Gus and Woakesy will take the new ball. I first saw Gus live at the World Cup in India. He just had all the attributes of a very, very good bowler. A lot of it has to do with the Dukes ball and how it has behaved. There hasn’t actually been that much movement in the air with the new ball. It’s generally been off the surface, hitting the seam, and Gus is a very good exponent of that,” concluded Ben.

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Last Updated on July 18, 2024