"I wanted to play a summer, and then I want to play a year, and then I want to play a few years" - Jofra Archer eyes Test return
After a vintage ODI performance against Australia at Lord's, English quick Jofra Archer is now eying a Test return, though without a set date on his mind. Archer wasn't supposed to play this ODI - his first consecutive appearance in the format since September 2022 - but said he 'nudged' the support staff to let him because Lord's is too good to miss for anyone.
But he took two wickets for just 33 runs - including a beauty to clean bowl out visiting captain Mitchell Marsh - as England bowled Australia out for 126 in the shortened game to win by 186 runs.
Archer's pace was back in the high 140s, and his accuracy seemed as good as his early days with England before a spate of unfortunate elbow and back injuries. It was perfect to cap off the summer where he played matches in the men's T20 World Cup, The Hundred and the T20I and ODI series against Australia.
“I’m still on the park and we’re approaching the end of the summer. So for me, that’s a take," Archer told The Telegraph when asked if the summer went as good as it could. "I wanted to play a summer, and then I want to play a year, and then I want to play a few years."
"So everything is going to plan. I’ve been back to this rhythm for a little while now, I felt it in the World Cup and I’ve just been taking it series by series. The [Lord’s] game had a lot on it, and probably that was just the match intensity coming up.”
Archer added that he saw all these tournaments as 'check marks' and now wanted to build towards a return to Test cricket for the first time since 2021, though he doesn't know when that would be.
England are said to be building him towards next year's home series against India and then the Ashes in Australia. Archer also told the English paper that his schedule would be decided by England’s managing director Rob Key, and Craig de Weymarn, the physio.
"Bit of a shock" - Archer on his jump from a junior to a senior in England dressing room
Archer is only 29 and entering the prime of his career. He has played about 130 internationals since his debut at the age of 24. The realization of the many months he missed due to injuries came as a shock to him in this series against Australia where England fielded a handful of youngsters in the absence of some stars.
“It’s weird seeing the team change," he said. "Just the other day, I was playing warm-up football on the young side and a couple of weeks later, I’m on the old team. It’s been a bit of a shock, but everybody is looking forward.”
England drew the series 2-2 win the win at Lord's. The fifth ODI is slated for Bristol on Sunday evening though the weather forecast is quite murky.