Archer played only 4 matches for MI in IPL 2023.
Archer, who was bought by Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2022 IPL for a whopping INR 8 crore, was released by the franchise last week. His name doesn’t figure in the list of players who have registered for the IPL auction, set to be held on December 19 in Dubai.
Plagued by multiple injuries to his back and elbow, Archer was picked by MI in the IPL 2022 auction despite knowing that he will not play in that edition. The pacer made his comeback in IPL 2023, but only played 4 matches before his elbow injury flared up again and he flew back home.
The 28-year-old Barbados-born cricketer hasn’t played any professional cricket since then and also missed the ODI World Cup. He recently signed a two-year England central contract running from October 2023 to September 2025.
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He was retained as a 'wildcard' player by Mumbai Indians' affiliate franchise MI Cape Town for the second season of the SA20 in early 2024, but his participation in that competition will be contingent on how his rehab improves.
“ECB believes that it will be easier to manage Archer’s comeback if he is in the UK in April and May under its supervision than if he is in India on the books of an IPL team looking to get their money’s worth from him,” ESPNCricinfo report stated.
Archer had flown to India for the World Cup but had to come home after less than a week owing to elbow problems. The ECB is hopeful that the pace spearhead will be named to England in T20 World Cup 2024.
“We take that bet with him that we want him back fit and able to play for England, because of the upside. You start looking at things like the Ashes in two years, the T20 World Cup Jofra adds so much to that,” ECB managing director (men’s cricket) Robert Key had said last month.
As many as 34 England players, including Harry Brook, Adil Rashid, and Chris Woakes, have registered for the IPL auction. Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Jason Roy, Mark Wood, Will Jacks, and Reece Topley have been retained by their franchise.
(PTI inputs)