ICC World Cup 2019 | Jofra Archer has fitted in smoothly, looks set to be in the Ashes squad, says Moeen Ali
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Moeen Ali believes Jofra Archer’s spoils from the World Cup sets up to certainly be a part of the Ashes series given how smoothly he has fitted into the England ODI squad. Archer, who was fast tracked into the squad for the World Cup, has picked up 20 wickets, the most in the England squad.
Archer caught the eye of one and all during his IPL stint with the Rajasthan Royals in the 2019 edition. His nonchalant run-up followed by a fiery dart, always at the stumps, saw England take drastic measures to secure him into the side for the World Cup that soon followed. However, the 24-year-old has fit in easily, according to his teammate Moeen Ali.Â
"Jofra has fitted into this side so smoothly and, unless he needs a break after this tournament, he surely looks set to be in the Ashes squad too,” Ali wrote in a column for The Guardian.
Ali’s confidence in a Test call up for Archer comes from two things. Archer’s consistent line has been noticed by every one of the keen viewers of the sport. Ali, however, believes that the speedster certainly is a worry for the Australian.Â
“He will have got into Australian heads before that series, 100%. And from chatting to Chris Jordan, his Sussex teammate, the view is that red-ball cricket is his strongest suit. In the longest format you have to test quality players and in Jofra’s brief international career he has certainly done that,” Ali wrote.
Archer’s fiery fast deliveries have proved nasty to several batsman, including Hashim Amla and Alex Carey. Ali shared his theory on how Archer generates that kind of pace, but said that the pacer had several other skills up his sleeve too.
“For me, it comes from the fact he jogs in and doesn’t jump at the crease, but rather runs through it and whistles it down at 90mph through that wrist snap. It’s not just the pace either but the skills. That knuckle ball to get Glenn Maxwell is something he’s been working on for the past few weeks but to deliver it at that moment was unbelievable," Ali added.
