Jofra Archer might be back in action next month when England will host Pakistan in a four-match T20I series, said England’s managing director Rob Key.
Archer, who turned 29 this month, has not played professional cricket ever since pulling out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 due to discomfort in his elbow.
The 29-year-old is considered one of England’s most valuable members as despite only playing seven white-ball matches since 2021, he was awarded a two-year central contract in October 2023 which indicated the England Cricket Board’s (ECB) trust in him.
England will be defending their T20 World Cup in the West Indies in June and Key is hopeful that his country will be able to count on Archer. The Barbados-born didn’t participate in this year’s IPL as England wanted to supervise his rehabilitation so he could be at his best when it was time for national duty.
"Absolutely," Key told Sky Sports News when asked if Archer is a consideration for the World Cup squad. "Jofra, he's been out on Sussex's pre-season out in India. He bowled quickly out there, he bowled really well.”
Key then stated that Archer is likely to play the four-match T20I series against Pakistan, which will begin on May 22 in Headingley.
"He's now just gone back in the Caribbean, where he is going to play a little bit of club cricket, stuff like that - all about getting himself ready for that World T20. He'll play hopefully the Pakistan series. But it's always fingers crossed at the moment with Jofra."
"What we're going to do is take it slower than trying to go too quickly so that we get him back for not just a short period, we get him back for a long period. And the whole plan with Jofra is he's going to play white-ball cricket for this summer and going into the winter.
"Then hopefully next summer, when we play India, then into the Ashes, we get him back for Test cricket. It's a slow process just to get him back for all forms."
- Jofra Archer