Leg and Off: Should teams go all out for Jofra Archer in the IPL 2025 Auction?
Fast bowler Jofra Archer, who has made a dramatic U-turn to put his name on the shortlist of players for the mega IPL auction on November 24 and 25, will be in high demand. He will also command a big price whenever his name props up and franchises will be keen on lapping him up at any opportunity.
The Englishman, who was born in Barbados, was first denied permission by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to participate in the IPL auction in order to prepare for next year's Ashes. Fellow pacer Mark Wood too was denied permission. However, things have changed now.
Archer would have been banned from next season's IPL auction too had he not been a part of it this year, according to the new rules, and hence, opted to put his name back on the shortlist after consulting with the ECB. His presence at the auction is bound to throw up a lot of fireworks, with teams vying for his signature.
One of the very few seamers in the world to be classified as an out-and-out right-arm fast, Archer has played a total of 158 T20 matches in his career, in which he has picked up 197 wickets at an average of 22. The lanky pacer conceded his runs at just 7.71, and this is one statistic that franchises always like to zero in upon.
In the IPL, Archer's record may not be as heroic as it is elsewhere, but he has done his reputation no harm whatsoever in the subcontinent. Having played just four seasons of the cash-rich tournament with a sprinkling of years in between, Archer has turned up in a mere forty games for two sides so far.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Mumbai Indians (MI) have both availed of his services in the past, with the former being proud of the 20 wickets he picked up for them in the 2020-21 season. MI quickly snapped him up for INR 8 crore in 2022, but could only see him play in 2023 after he missed the previous year due to injury.
He picked up just two wickets in five matches for MI that season, while he had bagged 11 and 15 for RR in 2019 and 2018, respectively. Archer's economy rate of 7.43 is rather impressive, and franchises know that if he is fit and available, he can sound the death knell to any opposition batter.
All in all, Archer has picked up 48 wickets in the IPL, and this is a commendable task for a fast bowler operating on pitches either tailor-made for batters to execute their hara-kiri or devised for slow bowlers to wield tricks upon. His adaptation to the conditions in the subcontinent has been impressive.
Along with the IPL, Archer has also plied his trade in the Pakistan Super League and Bangladesh Premier League, in which he has picked up a total of 15 wickets at an economy of 6.70. This means that he possesses enough expertise to handle himself on the slow and placid surfaces of Asia.
The 29-year-old's main skillset involves bowling fast and in areas that make him difficult to hit, such as the newly pronounced 'hard lengths' otherwise known as short of a length or back of a length to cricket puritans. Archer's yorkers are searing and devastating to one's toe, as many a franchise batter can attest.
His skillset and mentality make him downright contenders for one of the biggest price tags in the IPL, and both franchises who have had the good fortune of having him play for them, know it all too well. Other teams will also harp in on the fact that Archer can provide them with a burst of energy on the field.
In T20 cricket, where breaking partnerships while bowling in short spells can be all too important, Archer provides teams with a depth in his abilities that few of his colleagues have. In a nutshell, he can be one of the deadliest options any team can have in their ranks in a high-pressure T20 competition such as the IPL.
Jofra Archer, however, is prone to injuries
While teams enjoy learning about his fabulous statistics in the subcontinent, they will also be aware of the dangerous history of injuries that Archer carries with him. This is the biggest baggage he has, and franchises who are keen on bringing him on board need to be assured of his presence for the entire tournament.
England had already been a tad taciturn in allowing Archer to compete in the IPL given that they want him to be prepared for the Ashes next year. The latter, due to be played in the Australian summer, will not begin until November, and it is strange to see the ECB restricting Archer from playing in the summer.
It will be unlikely for Archer to leave the tournament midway unless he gets injured, so franchises have to be aware of what his fitness status is before they bid for him. At the moment, he is fit and raring to go, having played a big part for England in their limited-overs tour of the West Indies recently.
Although form has not been very kind to him (he picked up just three wickets in the six matches he played across both T20Is and ODIs), Archer's supporters will be pleased merely by seeing him bowling in full flow with his rhythm going well. Franchises will also be keen on seeing this before they make a decision.
Having been absent from the IPL for over a season, Archer may take some time to re-acquaint himself with the conditions, and this may not work in the favor of the franchises who will pay big money for him. This may mean that Archer gets hit all across the park in the initial stages and concedes all momentum with himself.
The ECB's concerns about Archer's match-worthiness and match-fitness may also hamper the seamer's state of mind. It may be so that he approaches the IPL with a delicate mindset, with his eyes on the big prize of competing in the Ashes Down Under in November. This will, subconsciously, prevent him from giving his best.
The last time Archer played a Test was back in 2021 against India in Ahmedabad, and it is understandable that he wants to return to the longest format of the game and showcase his class. However, no IPL franchise will be keen on betting with as big a risk as this when it comes to the question of a few crores.
There is, however, a middle ground. If no franchise wants to bid for him, and push comes to shove, Archer may have to settle for low fees. This might prompt some teams to add him to their roster and deal with him as they would with an investment that does not take much risk. This way, his fitness and match-worthiness will not bother them as much.