Jofra Archer lined up in whites for county cricket for the first time in 1501 days after the bowler, who has had an unfortunate time with injuries, made his availability for England’s second Test against India known. Archer picked up a wicket in his appearance for Sussex in their Championship match against Durham.
Archer was initially supposed to be a part of the India-England series but an injury he picked towards the end of the IPL kept him out of the team. The injury is part of a long line of incidents that have plagued the English fast bowler as he charts his way back to Test cricket.
Ahead of India’s tour to England, captain Ben Stokes had revealed that he had been in touch with Archer and that the bowler was desperate to be in the England mix once again.
Fantastic to see Jofra Archer back with a red ball in hand pic.twitter.com/1TTjSmrikt
— Rothesay County Championship (@CountyChamp) June 23, 2025
“He’s been absolutely desperate to put the white shirt back on,” said Stokes last Thursday ahead of the first test. “He’s had a torrid run with injuries, but he’s managed a fair bit of white-ball cricket recently.
Stokes also alluded that Archer’s return for on the cards and not too far away. “The fact that we can now put a structure in place for his red-ball return is a great sign.”
Archer was last part of a Test match for England way back in February 2021. That year he went through an elbow injury, for which he had to undergo surgery. He then underwent a stress fracture in his lower back in 2022 that kept him out for the year. Since then Archer has been looking for a way back into the England Test team.
With the exception of Jasprit Bumrah, both teams have been quite average in their bowling efforts. Archer’s successful comeback could put India on the notice from the next Test onwards.
