Jofra Archer: Sir Andrew Strauss says England fast bowler would be ‘significant loss’ for Ashes if unfit | Cricket News

Sir Andrew Strauss has said Jofra Archer would be “a significant loss” if the England fast bowler was unable to be fit for this summer’s Ashes.

Archer returned to the England setup for the first time in 22 months back in January after a lengthy injury absence due to well-documented elbow and back problems.

The 28-year-old is currently playing for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League but, according to The Telegraph, Archer flew to Belgium to have minor surgery on his troublesome right elbow during a three-week absence for the team.

Archer reacted angrily to the report with a post on Twitter that read: “Putting out an article without knowing the facts & without my consent is crazy.”

Strauss, speaking to Sky Sports News at the Sport Industry Awards on Thursday night, said Archer’s fitness will be a concern for the England setup heading into an Ashes summer.

“It has to be (a concern),” Strauss said.

“Without knowing the details of it, it’s obviously hard to speculate. That elbow has been troublesome for a long period now, a number of different injuries with it.

“It’s easy to be over cautious, and perhaps that’s what is happening now, but he would be a significant loss if he wasn’t there for the Ashes.”

The last time Australia visited in 2019, Archer claimed 22 wickets at an average of 20.27 in four Ashes Tests as the series was drawn 2-2.

Former England Women’s cricketer Ebony Rainford-Brent echoed Strauss’s sentiments and believes it’s vital the fast bowler – capable of consistently topping speeds of 90 mph when at his best – is fit to play.

“The Jofra Archer thing is frustrating for a number of reasons,” she said. “One, for what he delivers on the field, in terms of that extra pace and credibility.

“The frustration is that they [England] have been managing him for a long time, trying to reduce some of his cricket, reduce his speed at times and keep him to white-ball cricket so he isn’t over worked.

“They’ve done everything they can to get him primed for the Ashes. At the moment there looks like there’s still some stumbling blocks.

“He needs to be fit, for me. He brings something different.”

Strauss: England’s new approach has been ‘mind blowing’

As for the series itself, England will be looking to regain the Ashes for the first time in eight years, hoping that their new-found positive approach under Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum will prove the difference.

Former captain Strauss served as the director of England cricket for three years between 2015 and 2018, as well as on an interim basis following the disappointment of their most recent Ashes defeat in Australia in the first half of 2022.

His successor Rob Key appointed McCullum as the new head coach of the Test team last summer, as well as handing Stokes the captaincy, with the team winning 10 of their next 12 Tests playing “mind-blowing” cricket, according to Strauss.

“The style of cricket England have been playing over the last 12 months, it has been phenomenal to watch, mind blowing actually,” he said.

“And obviously they have the greatest stage of all to show whether they can do it against a really good team in Australia.

“It is going to be a tough series I think, two teams that will go hammer and tongs against each other. I think it’s going to be compelling viewing, really exciting.”

Asked if the visit of Australia will result in any tweak to England’s tactics, Strauss added: “They haven’t done too bad going down that approach up till now. The performances in Pakistan (to secure a 3-0 series win over the winter), in particular, were extraordinary.

“I think that’s the way they play, they’ve got to see it through and stick to it.

“And the thing about it is, it asks significant questions of opposition teams. No reason to rein it back now.”