England captain Ben Stokes has confirmed that Jofra Archer is “absolutely desperate” to return to Test cricket, with the pacer regularly texting him about potential comebacks. Archer, who hasn’t played a Test since February 2021, recently messaged Stokes with a simple “Zim?”—a cryptic reference to England’s one-off Test against Zimbabwe last month.
What did Archer say to Stokes?
Speaking at the pre-match press conference for the opening England vs India Test at Headingley, Stokes said:
“He’s (Jofra Archer) been absolutely desperate to put the white shirt back on. Randomly, a couple of times, he would just send me a text saying, ‘Zim? I was like, ‘Let’s just hold it right there, all right. I know you’re in a good spot right now, but let’s not just rush into it.”
The 29-year-old fast bowler has been riddled with elbow problems and, more recently, suffered a thumb injury during the IPL, ruling him out of the first Test against India at Headingley. However, he is expected to play for Sussex in the County Championship this week, with hopes of featuring in the second Test at Edgbaston.
England selector Luke Wright confirmed Archer’s name is “in the conversation” for later in the five-Test series. Having played only white-ball cricket in the last year, Archer’s first-class match for Sussex will be key to his red-ball return.
Ben Stokes emphasized that it’s not just exciting for England, but for Archer himself. “It’s really exciting for Jof that he’s in a position now where we can have a plan in place,” he said. Archer has played 13 Tests, with his last red-ball appearance coming on India’s 2021 tour. In three innings against India, he has taken 4 wickets at an average of 30.5.
