Cricket fans, take a deep breath — Jofra Archer is back in business, and he’s setting his sights firmly on Test cricket. After what feels like an eternity of injury setbacks and false starts, the England pacer has finally put in a full day of red-ball cricket.
“I Made It to Stumps – That’s a Win!”
Speaking after day two of Sussex’s County Championship match at Chester-le-Street, Archer didn’t try to sugarcoat the experience. The day was long. The pitch was flat. And the grind was real.
“Today could have been the longest day I’ve ever had — and not because it’s red-ball cricket,” Archer joked. “I’ve been in the field for two-and-a-half days before, and it still didn’t feel as long as today.”
But despite the punishing conditions, the 29-year-old fast bowler was all smiles. After his last first-class outing ended before tea in 2021, simply making it through the day felt like a huge milestone.
“I’m glad to just finish a day of four-day cricket,” he said. “This is progress.”
No More Restrictions
Jofra Archer also revealed that there were no workload limitations placed on him by England’s medical team — a sign that he’s being seriously considered for Test selection again.
“You can’t have restrictions if you’re potentially going to go in [for a Test match]. You put your body through as much pressure — safely — as possible to put yourself in the best position,” he explained.
It’s a notable shift in tone from a player who, not long ago, was feared to be lost to the Test format due to chronic elbow and back issues.
The ‘Kitchen Cut’ That Delayed His Return
Adding to the long list of Archer’s unlucky breaks was a fractured thumb, sustained while batting during the IPL. But in classic Jofra fashion, he brushed it off with good humour.
“If you get cut in the kitchen with a knife, no one’s going to call it an injury. It’s similar with my thumb. I just got hit while batting, as we do all the time, but unfortunately, it got fractured,” he said.
“It just happened to be my bowling hand, so I had to give it care. If it was my left thumb, I could have carried on and no one would know.”
The thumb fracture delayed his County return, but he’s now back on the field — bowling without pain, without fear, and without excuses.
Four Years, Countless Setbacks
It’s been more than four years since Jofra Archer last played a Test — back during England’s 2020–21 tour of India. Since then, he’s battled a string of injuries that would’ve pushed many players into early retirement. But not Archer.
“Injuries are injuries. Nobody gets injured on purpose, no one knows when they will happen — it can be in the gym, in rehab, pre-hab, or whatever,” he said.
“If you’re supposed to get injured, there’s nothing you can do to get away from it.”
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