Already sidelined England fast bowler Jofra Archer is set to miss the tour of the West Indies after un-dergoing a second elbow operation, it was an-nounced Wednesday.
The Barbados-born quick has been out of inter-national action since March and his absence from England duty will now extend to over a year after it was decided the recurring stress fracture in his right elbow required another operation.
Archer, 26, had the surgery on Saturday and he has now been ruled out by the England and Wales Cricket Board of the three-Test tour of his native West Indies in March — a series officials had hoped would mark his comeback to international cricket.
But it now appears the 2019 World Cup winner will not be back in action until the 2022 English season at the earliest. “Jofra Archer underwent a second operation on his injured right elbow on Saturday 11 December in London,” said an ECB statement issued Tuesday. “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.” This announcement will lead to fresh debate over whether Archer, the son of an English father, can bowl again at express pace should he return to professional cricket. —AFP
