A closer look at England seamer Jofra Archer’s struggle against injuries
- Planet Sport writer
- 16 May 2023
Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the 2023 Ashes and it is just the latest in a string of injury trouble that has plagued his career.
Here, Planet Sport charts the England fast bowler's unfortunate streak of setbacks, dating back to the end of 2019, just a few months after a breakout summer in the World Cup and Ashes.
January 2020: Misses England's final three Tests in South Africa after aggravating an elbow problem and flies home ahead of the T20 series to undergo a scan.
February 2020: Ruled out of a two-Test series against Sri Lanka and the 2020 Indian Premier League season - both postponed because of Covid - because of a low-grade stress fracture in his right elbow.
July 2020: Having returned to fitness, Archer is suspended for a Test against the West Indies after breaching bio-security bubble protocols but is available for the remainder of the summer schedule.
March 2021: Skips the ODI portion of the India tour because of more elbow discomfort then undergoes surgery to remove glass from his finger after sustaining a freak injury when cleaning a fish tank.
May 2021: Decides to have the first operation on his right elbow to remove an impingement in the joint after suffering from soreness while making his comeback for Sussex. No timescale is put on his return.
August 2021: A tentative return to action is aborted after it is discovered Archer has suffered another stress fracture in his problematic elbow. The injury rules him out of the 2021 T20 World Cup as well as the 2021/22 Ashes.
December 2021: Has another operation on the elbow, precluding his involvement in the West Indies tours at the start of 2022.
May 2022: Just as he is readying himself for a comeback, the England and Wales Cricket Board announces Archer has suffered a stress fracture in his lower back, putting him on the sidelines for the summer and the 2022 T20 World Cup in October and November.
December 2022: Named in England's squad for three ODIs against South Africa the following month.
January 2023: Makes his competitive comeback for SA20 franchise MI Cape Town, finishing with three for 27 against Paarl Royals then makes his England return, 22 months after his last international appearance, taking one for 81 in an ODI against South Africa.
February/March 2023: Claims an international-best six for 40 in Kimberley then features in two ODIs and three T20s against Bangladesh.
April 2023: After playing in Mumbai Indians' IPL opener, Archer heads to Belgium to see a specialist an undergo a minor procedure on his elbow. Returns to India and plays a further four games.
May 2023: Returns home early from the IPL to work on his rehabilitation, but a scan reveals another recurrence of the stress fracture in his elbow, denying him another crack at Australia.
