World Cup 2923: Jofra Archer can best be available for back-end of tournament - England chief selector

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England chief selector Luke Wright has explained Jofra Archer's chances of featuring in the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023 which begins in India from October 5.

Wright said that Archer, who is out of action since IPL 2023 due to a stress fracture injury, is very unlikely to make it to the main squad for feature in the first-half of the tournament.

He also made it clear that Jofra making a surprise improvement and forcing a change in the provisional squad announced on Wednesday is minimal. From what Wood said it could be understood that England could keep Jofra Archer in the squad as a travelling reserve and utilise him in case there is an injury to any pacer.

"I don't think we can, unfortunately, have him in the squad to start with," Luke Wright said.

"Best-case scenario for Jof really at the moment would probably be [that he is] available for the back-end of the tournament. That's the best-case scenario, which obviously, in a squad of 15, is going to leave us quite light.The last thing we want to do is really to put a massive time [limit] on him and try to push him and force him into playing before he does [feel ready]. We've got to get him right, first and foremost."But is there an opportunity or a place where potentially he could play at the back end of a tournament if all things go well and there was an injury? Yes, there's a potential chance. But obviously, a lot of things have still got to go right with this rehab before then.

"When you look at that squad, you cannot have a bowler that might not be available for the second half and definitely not for the first half. Unfortunately, we couldn't do it. If something miraculous happens with him, we have time to change things but I just don't see it happening. It is just coming too soon and we can't rush this decision on Jof this time," he added.

Jofra Archer was the leading wicket-taker for England in their victorious World Cup 2019 campaign. He picked 20 wickets in 11 matches. However, the pacer has played just 7 ODIs since the beginning of 2020 due to recurring injuries.

After nearly two years of absence due to stress fracture and elbow injury, Archer made his much-anticipated return to international cricket. However, his comeback did not last long and ended in a dramatic fashion in his debut season with Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL 2023. He played just five matches and picked two wickets at an average of 95 and a strike rate of 9.50 before flying back home to start another round of rehabilitation. He also flew to Belgium to consult a specialist in between the IPL 2023 and it was reported that ECB also sent a medical team to analyse his situation.

Ben Stokes has came out of retirement for England's World Cup 2023 campaign. The Three Lions have named Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, David Willey, Reece Topley, Sam Curran and uncapped Gus Atkinson in the fast-bowling unit.

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