England quick Jofra Archer is hoping to be back in action in time for this year's T20 World Cup, having suffered yet another major setback.
Archer has not played for England since March 2021, having been forced to undergo two operations in a bid to fix a chronic elbow injury. As a result, Archer missed both last year's T20 World Cup and the Ashes.
He was set to return to action for Sussex this summer in the T20 Blast, but was heartbreaking ruled out for the entire summer last month after suffering a stress fracture of the back. However, he remains upbeat about his recovery and has revealed he should be back bowling in September.
And with England's first group game at this year's T20 World Cup set to take place against Afghanistan on October 22, that means Archer could be part of the squad provided his recovery goes to plan. In a column for the Daily Mail, he said: "This is my second stress fracture of the back.
"It's on the right side of the spine this time, whereas the previous one was on the left. The elbow I had surgery on last December remains fine.
"Of course, it has felt like it's been one thing after another but I'm not overly frustrated at this stage because I came to terms with a lengthy spell on the sidelines long ago. Had I played a game and then broken down, that would have been a lot harder to take.
"As things are, nothing has changed and I am still striving to get back on the field. That won't happen in a game situation this county season, but what's keeping me going is the fact that I should be bowling by September with a view to returning to competitive cricket soon after. Don't forget, the World Cup starts in October…"
Archer also paid a touching tribute to Eoin Morgan following his international retirement, adding: "The summer of 2019 was the greatest of my life and I really appreciated the part he played. I would like to thank him for going against the grain and selecting me because, before I came in, a lot of people were saying that a winning team should not be changed, and that it would affect the chemistry in the group.
"As captain, Morgs didn't only bring me into the squad, he made me feel welcome, and those are two different things. It was typical of his behaviour, and what everyone has said about him over the past 48 hours is true.
"He is an amazing person. He is an amazing cricketer as well. Someone who has broken lots of records during a great career."
