Jofra Archer's absence from England's World Cup squad is confirmed, with fitness concerns cited as the primary reason. The talented bowler is set to take on the role of a travelling reserve, contingent on a possible remarkable recovery.
Jofra Archer's absence from England's World Cup squad has been confirmed, with his inability to regain fitness in time being the key factor. Archer is set to travel to India as a travelling reserve, provided there's a dramatic recovery from his injury. Archer, who played a pivotal role as England's leading wicket-taker and hero in the Super Over during their World Cup victory four years ago, has been sidelined since the IPL due to an elbow stress fracture this year.
Luke Wright, a former Sussex teammate of Archer and part of the England selection panel, expressed the team's eagerness for Archer's return. However, he emphasised that the team was cautious about rushing his rehabilitation, prioritising his well-being over immediate participation.
While acknowledging Archer's immense potential, Wright stated, "Our desire to have him back is strong, but we need to ensure his long-term health. Unfortunately, time is against us for this World Cup. Rushing him back for the beginning of the tournament would not be in his best interests."
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England's provisional 15-man squad features six frontline seamers, with the possibility of adjustments until September 28. The squad is prepared for an arduous schedule, with nine group games taking place in a span of 37 days across various Indian venues.
Given the injury history of many of their key fast bowlers, England envisions Archer as a potential reinforcement for the latter stages of the tournament if another bowler faces setbacks. The decision underscores the team's focus on Archer's sustained fitness and long-term contribution.
"I don't think we can, unfortunately, have him in the squad to start with," Wright said. "Best-case scenario for Jof really at the moment would probably be [that he is] available for the back-end of the tournament. That's best-case scenario, which obviously, in a squad of 15, is going to leave us quite light.
"The last thing we want to do is really to put a massive time [limit] on him and try to push him and force him into playing before he does [feel ready]. We've got to get him right, first and foremost.
"But is there an opportunity or a place where potentially he could play at the back-end of a tournament, if all things go well and there was an injury? Yes, there's a potential chance. But obviously, a lot of things have still got to go right with this rehab before then.
"When you look at that squad, you cannot have a bowler that might not be available for the second half and definitely not for the first half. Unfortunately, we couldn't do it. If something miraculous happens with him, we have time to change things but I just don't see it happening. It is just coming too soon and we can't rush this decision on Jof this time." said Luke Wright
