Barbados-born Jofra Archer has finally been selected in England’s World Cup squad today. The young bowling all-rounder has already set his eyes on taking the big wickets of Virat Kohli and Chris Gayle.
The 24-year-old is obviously excited after getting the call-up and feels he is ready to play at the big stage. He replaced the all-rounder David Willey and wants to make his selection count.
He said, “I got a call from Ed Smith (England cricket team selector) yesterday, maybe at about six o'clock or so," Archer told Sky Sports News. "I was actually driving at the time and I just felt the phone vibrate and I answered it without looking at it, then that to stop myself and say 'good evening'.”
“I think I'm ready. I've played a lot of cricket outside of 50 overs. I'd quite like to get Virat out because I wasn't able to get him in the IPL. I think a leggie got him in every game he played. I also wanted to bowl at AB [de Villiers] as well, but don't think he's playing for South Africa. And probably Chris Gayle again,” he added.
He does not have a lot of experience in the 50-over format but has played a lot of cricket otherwise. His IPL experiences will also give him an advantage over his teammates feels Archer.
He said, “I think I probably have a bigger advantage over some of the other guys in our team. We play [these guys] twice a [season] in the IPL, so you know their weaknesses, you know their strengths, you know if they can't run between the wickets. It gets you an extra bit of inside information.”
“To be honest, I think international cricket is probably the same intensity as the IPL," he added. "I think the only thing that changes is the amount of overs but, ever since I've started, the pressure is really intense. It's different, but it still isn't different.”
“And I know to deal with the pressure of crowds. Obviously, because I was playing franchise cricket, that was the reason why it wasn't able to play much List A cricket for Sussex, but you don't forget how to bowl. And I think you get more opportunities to bowl than in T20s, you get another six extra overs there to take more wickets,” he added.
