This is good news for England fans Jofra Archer is returning from injury after a year Which left him wondering how much more uncertainty he could tolerate. Rob Key and the management are taking a soft-spoken approach as they try to prepare him for the T20 World Cup in June – and they are doing exactly the right thing.
We are used to seeing cricketers have good and bad days on the field, but what we don’t get to see are the ups and downs on the field – the X-rays, operations, rehabilitation, mental stress and strains that are part of long-term injuries. It looks like Jofra has injured his right elbow.
He recently spoke about being unsure whether he has another ‘stop-start’ year, but Key knows his value.
Even when he returned from injury for some time South Africa A year earlier, he had taken six wickets for 40 runs in a one-day game in Kimberley. After this he went to Bangladesh and took three wickets for 13 runs in a T20 match. He is very valuable to England’s prospects.
Like India‘Jasprit Bumrah is an archer An incredibly skilled multi-phase bowler, He can take the new ball, break partnerships in the middle overs, then make a comeback in the death overs.
England are boosted by Jofra Archer’s early return ahead of the T20 World Cup this summer
Archer has had a long-term elbow injury but is ready to compete for England
Rob Key and the rest of England’s management are taking a cautious approach towards Archer.
That’s why he included David Willey in his 2019 World Cup squad, and why Ben Stokes handed him responsibility for the Super Over in the final against New Zealand. Hopefully he can remain fit this time also.
But one person who will be a little disappointed with the selection is Chris Woakes They have gone with extra batting options Ben Duckett’s in, and I can see the logic. With Stokes making himself unavailable, this line-up is short on left-handed batsmen, and Duckett is a very good player of spin – as we saw in England’s series in the Caribbean before Christmas, there in these games. A big part is the day.
there is also a possibility Jos Buttler may miss one or two matches during the four-match series against Pakistan His third child will be born in late May, so having an extra batting option helps.
Jonny Bairstow sealed his place in the IPL on Sunday with a timely century for Punjab Kings, but if he comes in at number four behind Buttler, Phil Salt and Will Jacks, he will be playing slightly out of position.
Only 18 of his 64 T20 International innings have come in that condition, and he has not batted there for England since the summer of 2022. Bairstow is a good player of slow bowling, but opening against spin is a different proposition to batting against. With your eyes after the powerplay.
It would be unfortunate for Chris Woakes to be left out, as England prefer an additional batting option
Jonny Bairstow (centre) will bat out of position, while there is a big summer ahead for captain Jos Buttler (right).
This is going to be an important tournament for Buttler and coach Matthew Mott after what happened during the 50-over World Cup in India in the autumn. It seems Buttler is hoping wicketkeeping will leave a lot on his plate – especially when he has to walk 30 or 40 yards to talk to Mark Wood while the ICC’s new stop-clock ticks. Is ticking. Resolve over-rates.
But he and Mott have a T20 World Cup under their belt, and England have loaded their team with six-hitters. The impact bye rule in the IPL has allowed teams to swing from the waist, but in the World Cup teams will not get that facility. It is possible that the score of 270 that we are seeing in India may become less than 100 in West Indies.
Big hitting will still be important, but so will smart cricket.