Quite prepared to sit out summer against India in order to be fully fit for World T20, admits Jofra Archer
After another injury has halted his progress, Jofra Archer has admitted that he is ready and prepared to sit out of the summer against India to be fully fit for the World T20. The pacer also added that he would rather miss out a few weeks of a year to increase a few more years in his career.
Since the start of 2021, injuries have halted and seriously plagued Jofra Archer’s progress with the Three Lions. After being rested for the series against Sri Lanka, the pacer returned to the squad for the tour to India, where he missed out on the second Test due to an injury. Not just that, Archer also missed the three-match ODI series, in order to get himself fit in time for the IPL.
However, even that didn’t happen, with the pacer ruled out of the tournament, returning from an operation. While his return for Sussex was positive news, he soon walked off the field in the same encounter, which has now halted his progress. Last week, the bowler was also ruled out of the two-match series against New Zealand, with him being in a race against time to be fit for the India series.
Archer, however, admitted that he is quite prepared to even sit out of the summer if it means that he would be fully fit for the World T20 and the Ashes later this year. He also insisted that post-elbow operation, he doesn’t want to rush his comeback.
"Those are my targets. If I come back before then and manage to play in the home Test series against India -- then fine, so be it. If I don't, I am quite prepared to sit out the summer," Archer wrote in his column for The Daily Mail.
"One thing I am determined about post-elbow operation is not to rush my comeback because my primary focus is to be playing for England in the Twenty20 World Cup and Ashes later this year,” he added.
In a telling statement, Archer wrote that he would rather miss a few weeks to have an extended career with the Three Lions. As frustrating as it could get, the pacer stated that if the timing on the return goes wrong this time, he won’t play much cricket.
"The way I am looking at things is that I would rather miss a few weeks of a year so that I have a few more years in my career. I just want to get this injury sorted once and for all and that's why I'm not looking that far ahead or at dates for a return to action. Because if I don't get this right, I won't play any cricket. Period."
Archer, being himself, however, insisted that he would not quit any format of the game, adding that he is committed to playing all three format. But the goal for him, remains to be completely pain-free.
"I remain committed to playing all three formats for England and to winning big series. But it has been quite a while since I bowled completely pain-free."
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