England’s star speedster Jofra Archer has recently made it clear that he won’t rush his comeback to the international cricket post elbow surgery and now England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has also backed the pacer’s decision and is ready to plan for the home summer without him.
Recently, the speedster underwent a surgery to fix a longstanding problem with his elbow that has kept him out of games during the South Africa tour, the fourth Test in India, and the upcoming Test series against New Zealand, as well as, a surgery to remove pieces of glass from his hand too.
Archer is currently recovering from elbow surgery and now he will also be commencing an intensive rehabilitation period working with the ECB and Sussex medical teams. However, the pacer returned to action for Sussex in the County Championship last week but bowled only five overs against Kent.
Writing in the Daily Mail, Archer warned that if he didn't get his rehabilitation right, he wouldn't be able to play “any cricket … period”, saying he would not be rushing his comeback as his primary focus is to be fully fit to play in the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 and Ashes 2021 later this year.
Reacting to Archer’s latest comments, Ashley Giles, Managing Director of England Cricket, said ECB agreed with his decision to put T20 World Cup 2021 and Ashes ahead of the five-Test series against India, as they are prepared to play the long game when it comes to the speedster’s fitness.
Giles was quoted as saying by Daily Mail, “I have talked a lot about our objectives in the T20 World Cup and the Ashes, and we need to make sure he is best prepared for that. The thing that has held him back is that he's had two different injuries in that elbow, and it stops him from doing what he does incredibly well, which is bowl quick. That must be frustrating for him.”
The ECB's director of men's cricket is confident that Archer will return to his peak form following surgery and recuperation from the surgery when he returns to the action.
He added, “I am very confident with the medical team we have and the surgery he has had - which has gone very well - that he will be back and firing, and we'll get him back as we've seen Jofra in the past.”
On the selection of Haseeb Hameed to England’s Test squad, Giles said: “As we have picked him in the squad, we have got to think he is ready. I worked closely with Has at Lancashire.”
He signed off by saying, “He seems to have found his love for the game again. He is a really exciting young player, I loved working with him and he's clearly found a home at Notts (Nottinghamshire).”
(With IANS Inputs)
