Jofra Archer to Return to ODIs for England Against Australia

Jofra Archer will play for England in the opening One Day International (ODI) against Australia at Trent Bridge on Thursday, making his first ODI appearance in 18 months.

Archer’s Road to Recovery

England stand-in captain Harry Brook on Wednesday confirmed that the Barbadian-born pacer will feature in the first game of the five-match series.

It will be the first time Archer will turn out in an ODI since March 2023. Additionally, Brook said there would be no restrictions on Archer’s workload.

England has carefully managed the 29-year-old Archer after elbow and back injuries in recent years.

A New Chapter for Archer

“He’s obviously a world-beater, and it’ll be nice to have him alongside me and going out there and taking them on,” Brook told BBC Sport.

“I haven’t faced him much in the nets, so I try to avoid that.

“He’s our strongest seamer, and he’s got a lot of experience behind him in white-ball. I’m looking forward to working with him and seeing him operate again,” he added.

Injury Recovery and Future Plans

Injury has limited Archer to just 21 ODI appearances, only seven of which have come since he played a starring role as England won the 2019 World Cup.

Since returning from injury, he has played exclusively T20 cricket.

With an Ashes series in Australia 14 months away, this is a significant step up for him.

A six-over spell for Sussex’s second XI earlier this summer was the most he has bowled in a professional match this year, while he also played some club cricket in Barbados before the T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.

Other Key Players

Another Barbadian, Jacob Bethell, is also in England’s ODI squad. Bethell played in the preceding T20 series, which ended 1-1.

ODI Squad

England: Harry Brook (captain), Jofra Archer, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, John Turner.

Conclusion

The return of Jofra Archer is a significant boost for the England team ahead of their ODI series against Australia. With no restrictions on his workload, Archer will be looking to make an impact on the pitch. Will he be able to lead England to victory against the Aussies?

FAQs

Q: How long has Jofra Archer been out with injury?
A: Archer has been out with elbow and back injuries for nearly 18 months.

Q: What is Archer’s experience in ODI cricket?
A: Archer has played 21 ODIs, with seven of those appearances coming since the 2019 World Cup.

Q: Is Archer set to play a key role in the ODI series against Australia?
A: Yes, with no restrictions on his workload, Archer is expected to play a significant role for England.