Karachi, March 2 (IANS) England head coach Brendon McCullum said pacer Jofra Archer is keen to play Test cricket for the country in the upcoming season. The 29-year-old has struggled with a recurring stress fracture in his elbow and a back stress fracture since his last Test appearance in 2021.
Having taken 42 Test wickets since debuting in the 2019 Ashes, he returned to international cricket in March 2023 during England’s ODI series against Bangladesh but experienced elbow discomfort, sidelining him from international action until May 2024.
“We’ve got to make sure we’re always doing the right thing by Jof and understanding the risks involved but I’m pretty sure he’s pretty keen to play Test cricket,” said McCullum.
“If you can add him to the battery of fast bowlers you’re trying to build then it only strengthens the squad. Overall, I’m really pleased to see where Jof’s at and it’s great to see him back playing and injury-free at the moment.”
Asked if Archer could play Test cricket this summer, McCullum replied, “I guess so, we’ll find out. I’ll sit down with some of the players after this (the Champions Trophy) and work out what their ambitions are. I would imagine Jof would be keen to play Test cricket this summer.”
Since his comeback, Archer has featured in the 2024 T20 World Cup, the home series against Australia, and tours of the West Indies, India and most recently the Champions Trophy in Pakistan. He picked up seven wickets in six of England’s eight matches in India before taking six wickets across three Champions Trophy games.
“Jofra’s been out of competitive cricket for a couple of years, it’s taken a little bit of time to get that rhythm of gameplay back but I think he’s been really good,” said McCullum.
“He’s bowled high pace, he’s played a lot of cricket, he’s been able to get a significant workload under his belt throughout this tournament (the Champions Trophy).
“We’ve seen moments of how great Jof is, even tonight (on Saturday) a couple of wickets he took and the other night against Afghanistan, three with the new ball.”
England’s next Test is a one-off match against Zimbabwe on May 22, coinciding with the final stages of the IPL 2025, where Archer is set to represent the Rajasthan Royals.
This will be followed by a five-Test series against India and the Ashes in Australia starting in November.
–IANS
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