Archer IPL adventure puts him in elite class

JOFRA ARCHER is on top of the world – and could be there for a long, long time.

That’s the view of two Aussie coaches who have seen at first hand just how devastating the England star (above) can be in short format cricket.

After watching him tear it up in the Indian Premier League (IPL), both Hobart Hurricanes coach Adam Griffith and former Sussex supremo Jason Gillespie believe that Archer is at the very top of his game.

They insist he would be the first on the team sheet for any T20 franchise in world cricket.

“If you’re looking at a T20 list, there’s probably only one other bloke who would be at the top with him, and that’s Mitch Starc,” says Griffith, who worked with Archer in Tasmania and was also the assistant coach for Australia at last year’s World Cup.

“There aren’t too many others who can live with him. You’re talking about the very, very best in the world and he’s right at the top when you’re having that conversation.

“When he first arrived at Hobart we knew he was talented.

“He was incredible – but we had no idea just how good he was going to be.”

Griffith is currently working with the Royal Challengers

Bangalore at this year’s IPL. Archer, meanwhile, is playing alongside Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Tom Curran at the Rajasthan Royals.

He has been a standout performer for the men in pink, taking 12 wickets and boasting an economy rate of just six.

“He has got quicker and quicker as the tournament has gone on,” says Griffith. “I think if you look at all the bowlers here, he has bowled more balls over 140kph than anyone else.”

That’s the kind of pace that should have Australia’s finest jumping around when he touches down with England for the Ashes next winter.

And Gillespie will feel a sense of pride in the role he has played in turning Archer into a world-beater.

“In his relatively short career, he has been trusted by his captains to bowl in challenging situations,” says Gillespie.

“The successes, failures and improvements from these experiences has given him a bank of evidence that he can draw on.”

The Royals currently face an uphill battle to get into the IPL play-offs.

For the moment, though, bowling fast is coming easy to England’s pace king Archer.