LONDON, CMC – An elbow injury has ruled England’s Barbadian fast-bowling sensation Jofra Archer out of the upcoming Test series in Sri Lanka and the lucrative Indian Premier League starting next month.
The 24-year-old was limited to only one Test on the recent tour of South Africa because of the injury and the England and Wales Cricket Board announced yesterday that further scans had revealed a low-grade stress fracture of the right elbow. Archer will now undergo rehabilitation and will target a comeback during West Indies’ Test tour of England in June.
“As a result of the injury, he has been ruled out of England’s Test tour of Sri Lanka and the Indian Premier League 2020 season,” the ECB said.
“He will now commence an injury rehabilitation programme with the ECB medical team with a view to be ready for the international summer campaign starting in June against West Indies in a three-match Test series.”
Archer has had a mixed start to his England career ever since the ECB amended their eligibility rules to fast-track his availability for the national side last year.
He was their leading bowler at the ICC World Cup staged here and bowled the historic super-over as England beat New Zealand in a dramatic final at Lord’s to win their first-ever title.
And even though England subsequently went down in the Ashes, Archer had a massive impact on the series, bowling with pace and hostility to snatch 22 wickets in four Tests.
However, he was massively disappointing on last November’s tour of New Zealand, finishing with just two wickets in the two-Test series.
In his only Test of the South Africa tour, Archer claimed a five-wicket haul at Centurion – his third in seven Tests.
Archer, who holds a United Kingdom passport through his father, played a handful of matches for West Indies Under-19s seven years ago before moving to England and eventually signing a professional contract with Sussex.
