HE’S LOYAL NOT ROYAL
Archer turns back on IPL deal
JOFRA ARCHER has turned his back on an £800,000 IPL payday to ensure he is back to full fitness for England’s international summer.
The ECB confirmed that Archer will not go to India to take up his deal with the Rajasthan Royals as he attempts to recover from a recurring right elbow injury.
He will instead continue his rehabilitation at home, where he is set to turn out for Sussex’s second XI against Surrey on May 4 and then in the County Championship.
If all goes to plan, the 26-year-old should be available for the two-Test series against New Zealand in June, which would be a huge boost to skipper Joe Root, above, with India to follow and then an Ashes tilt Down Under at the end of the year.
Archer played just two of the Tests against India during the winter as the paceman continued his elbow injury.
And with India now on the red list of countries due to the pandemic, he is concerned at how it might react on the sub-continent, where he would be required to quarantine for eight days before being allowed to train or play. Such a break could lead to more problems if he started to bowl – and the same would be true of his return, where a 10-day quarantine would be needed. Archer’s decision, therefore, to put his body and his England career first and foremost, above the huge sum of IPL money he would receive, is to be applauded.
He can now ease himself back into competitive cricket with a game against Kent on May 13 his next target. to struggle with