Jofra Archer faces a major setback, may have to go under the knife again
England fast bowler Jofra Archer will likely miss the entire summer owing to trouble with his right elbow joint. The 26-year-old has had trouble with his elbow right since the start of last year and went under the knife on May 21 to address the issue, keeping the upcoming T20 World Cup and Ashes in mind.
However, it is understood that Jofra Archer may have to undergo another surgery with his elbow issue getting worse than anticipated. According to the Daily Mail, Archer will soon discuss his situation with experts to decide on a plan of action for the future.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had hoped that he'd be available for at least a part of the upcoming five-match Test series against India.
But Archer's hopes of returning to the field anytime soon have been dashed after just one competitive outing in the T20 Blast in July. After the match, Jofra Archer had said that he was still about a month away from regaining full fitness despite playing a one-day game against Oxfordshire two days later.
Discomfort in the joint returns for Jofra Archer during the rehabilitation process
Following these games, Jofra Archer was expected to feature in the Royal London One-Day Cup for Sussex as part of the rehabilitation program designed to build up his workload.
However, during his rehabilitation process, the joint issue which kept Jofra Archer out of action for part of England's tour of India earlier this year is believed to have resurfaced.
While the surgery was expected to put him back on track, things haven't gone according to plan. Jofra Archer's absence would significantly impact England's plans for the T20 World Cup and the Ashes.
Archer's impact in the white-ball formats has been massive, given his ability to perform under pressure. Moreover, on the bouncy pitches of Australia, he was expected to play a role in the Ashes Down Under later this year.
Adding to England's woes, all-rounder Ben Stokes has also taken an indefinite break from cricket, while Chris Woakes is also on the injury list.