England will carefully manage Jofra Archer’s workload during their five upcoming ODIs against Australia. Archer only bowled 3.3 overs in the recent T20I series that was affected by rain.
Archer has been gradually returning to international cricket this year. He played two T20Is against Pakistan in May and then participated in all eight of England’s matches at the T20 World Cup in June. He didn’t play for Sussex in the latter part of the Blast group stages and was managed carefully during the Hundred, where he was rested twice, causing some frustration for Southern Brave’s captain, James Vince.
Since the Hundred, Archer has played two matches: one in the T20 Blast quarter-final for Sussex and another for England in their loss at the Utilita Bowl on Wednesday. He was rested for the game on Friday night in Cardiff and would have played in Sunday’s series decider, but it was canceled due to rain in Manchester.
Archer has shown why England has invested in him. Despite struggling with back and elbow issues, he was the joint-highest wicket-taker for England at the T20 World Cup in June. On Wednesday, he reminded everyone of his skills by dismissing Sean Abbott and Xavier Bartlett with consecutive balls.
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Upcoming ODI Series
Archer is included in England’s 15-man squad for the five-match ODI series, starting in Nottingham on Thursday. However, he might be rested for one or two of these matches. He hasn’t played a 50-over game in 18 months and, while he aims to play red-ball cricket in the future, he hasn’t played a first-class match since May 2021.
England captain Jos Buttler mentioned that Archer will need careful management throughout the series. “He has had a good stint of T20 cricket, but the intensity is higher in ODIs,” Buttler said. “We hope to increase his workload with the aim of eventually returning him to Test cricket as well.”
Coach’s Plan
Marcus Trescothick, England’s interim coach, said Archer is comfortable with the ECB’s plan for managing his workload. “He knows the plan and it’s discussed well in advance of each match,” Trescothick said. “We know what we’re doing with him and he’s comfortable with the plan.“
Trescothick will be involved in all three of England’s tours before Christmas, including the Test series in Pakistan and New Zealand and the white-ball tour of the Caribbean in November. He mentioned that his coaching style, influenced by his experience with Brendon McCullum, will help ensure a smooth transition when McCullum takes over in January. “I’m shaping it in a way that will be similar to McCullum’s approach,” Trescothick added. “It will be seamless when he takes charge.“
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