“Archer worried our guys in the last series, so he’s a big out for England" - Allan Border on England's latest injury blow ahead of the Ashes
Former Australian captain Allan Border feels that Jofra Archer's injury proves to be a huge blow for England as they look to reclaim the Ashes.
The pacer was not named in the squad for the upcoming one-off Test against Ireland, with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) ruling him out of contention for the rest of the English summer due to a stress fracture.
Archer battled injury issues while playing for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL). He was flown to Belgium for a minor procedure before he was completely ruled out of the IPL.
With the likes of James Anderson and Olly Stone battling injury issues, England have to devise a plan to rotate the seamers across the five-match affair.
Opining that England will sorely miss the services of Jofra Archer in the Ashes, Allan Border told Fox Cricket:
“Archer worried our guys in the last series, so he’s a big out for England. It’s good to have that X-factor bowler, who you can bring on know he’s going to upset the opposition, doesn’t matter what the tracks are like. He’s got that raw pace that no one likes facing … you don’t find them on the shelf too often.”
Archer has been riddled with injury concerns over the last two years. His last Test appearance came during England's tour of India in 2021. He made his return from injury through a county stint with Sussex, followed by appearances in the inaugural SA20 league and England's white-ball assignments in South Africa and Bangladesh.
Jofra Archer made his Test debut during the 2019 Ashes
Jofra Archer had a memorable series debut after being unleashed against rivals Australia in the 2019 Ashes, which ended 2-2. He was England's second leading wicket-taker behind Stuart Broad with 22 wickets.
Archer also famously sidelined Steve Smith with a venomous bouncer that led to a concussion. The former Australia skipper had to skip a Test, where Marnus Labuschagne slotted in the middle order.
However, Archer's career has not panned out quite as hoped primarily due to injuries. Speculations are rife about him being offered a year-run contract by the Mumbai Indians to represent their sister franchises across the globe.
Such a development would see the ECB asking permission from MI to include the player in their international endeavors in the future.
Will England cope well without the speedster among their ranks in the upcoming Ashes series? Let us know what you think.