Rob Key, managing director for the England men's team, rules Jofra Archer out of playing Test cricket this year but says fast bowler is "looking to get himself ready for the T20 World Cup" in June as he steps up his return from an elbow injury that has kept him out for the last year
Monday 8 April 2024 18:12, UK
Jofra Archer will not play Test cricket in 2024 but is targeting a spot in England's squad for the T20 World Cup in June, according to Rob Key, managing director for the men's team.
England's match-winner in their 2019 50-over World Cup triumph over New Zealand, bowling the Super Over in the final, Archer has been plagued since by a persistent elbow injury that has restricted his appearances and has ruled him out completely since May last year.
With Archer seen stepping up his recovery as the domestic cricket season got under way on Friday, Key was asked whether the T20 World Cup, to be held in the West Indies and USA in June, was a realistic goal for his England return?
"Absolutely," Key told Sky Sports. "Jofra has been out with Sussex in India for pre-season and bowled quickly out there, bowled really well.
"He has now gone back to the Caribbean where he's going to play a bit of club cricket, all looking to get himself ready for the T20 World Cup.
"He'll hopefully play in the series against Pakistan [in May], but it's always fingers-crossed at the moment with Jofra."
Key added that Archer will only play white-ball cricket in 2024, with the 29-year-old not being risked for five-day Test cricket and the added strain that can place on the body, particularly for fast bowlers.
"We're going to take it slower so that we get him back for not just a short period but we get him for a long period," Key said.
"The whole plan with Jofra is he's going to play white-ball cricket this summer and going into the winter. Then hopefully next summer, when we play India and then into the Ashes later that year, we get him back for Test cricket."
"It's a slow process to get him back for all formats."
England are next in action in May when they face Pakistan for a four-match T20 international series ahead of their T20 World Cup title defence that gets under way against Scotland on June 4 in Barbados.
You can watch every match of the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup this June, live on Sky Sports, as well as England's preceding T20I series against Pakistan. Stream the best sport with NOW.
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