Jofra Archer to remain on sidelines till next summer after elbow surgery

England pacer Jofra Archer was ruled out of competitive cricket until next summer, after the pacer underwent a second operation for his right injured elbow. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday (December 22).

Archer missed India’s tour of England in 2021, the 2021 Indian Premier League and the 2021 T20 World Cup due to his nagging elbow injury. He is not part of the current England squad in Australia for the Ashes.

“The England and Wales Cricket Board can confirm that fast bowler Jofra Archer underwent a second operation on his injured right elbow on Saturday 11 December in London,” the ECB said in a statement.

“The procedure addressed the long-standing stress fracture of his right elbow. A return to cricket will be determined in time, but Jofra will not be available for any of England’s remaining Winter series,” the statement said.

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Jofra Archer, who played a crucial role in England’s winning run at the 2019 World Cup, has not played international cricket since the March T20 series in India.

Archer had earlier said that he hoped to return to international cricket for a Test series against West Indies in March 2022, but the 26-year-old will miss that as well.

Archer, who has been a consistent performer for Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, was not retained by the team. It remains to be seen if there will be takers for the star pacer in the upcoming IPL mega auction, considering his lengthy stint on the sidelines due to injuries.