What does Jofra Archer plan to do post-IPL 2023? Is Ashes stint on the cards?

English pacer Jofra Archer will prepare for the 2023 Ashes while playing in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) for record former five-time champion Mumbai Indians (MI). After the high-profile Twenty20 (T20) competition finished, he will move on to the five-Test series versus Australia, as reported by his county club coach Paul Farbrace.

The Sussex head coach expressed that Archer, who returns to competitive cricket with MI in IPL 2023 after missing the previous one with an elbow injury, will miss out on playing any red-ball cricket before the Ashes get underway at home in June. The opening Ashes Test will be played at Edgbaston in Birmingham on June 16.

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Having recovered from the elbow injury and stress fracture in his back, Archer has played for England on seven instances this year. "The England plan for Jofra is he'll go and play in the IPL. I think all things being equal, he [Archer] will go straight into the Ashes off the back of the IPL," Farbrace sounded, reports BBC Sport.

"The plan is that between IPL games, he'll bowl some longer spells to get his overs up and ensure he is match-ready. That's the nature of international franchise cricket these days. I know many people will say, 'he should play at least two four-day games to be ready for a Test match', but the preparation and the work that the medical teams do around these players is exceptional," added Farbrace.

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Speaking about how Sussex aided Archer in recovering from the injuries, Farbrace sounded, "We're fortunate here at Sussex. We have got an unbelievable medical set-up with some fantastic professionals. That allows players like Jofra to move from T20 cricket to Test match cricket and be ready and prepared to go. England is not daft. They know that keeping the likes of Jofra fit for the Ashes will be important to win the Ashes."

"They are saying, 'how can we make sure that we get Jofra prepared to play the Ashes and be the best version he can be?' They've got a lot of good people around that squad who we need to trust and allow them to do their job," concluded Farbrace.