Jofra Archer ‘absolutely desperate’ for England Test return, says Ben Stokes

England captain Ben Stokes says Jofra Archer is “absolutely desperate” to face India this summer, resuming a Test career that has been on hold for more than four years.

England looked to have discovered a generational talent when the Barbados-born paceman burst onto the international scene in 2019, but he has been beset by a litany of injury problems and played the last of his 13 Tests in February 2021.

Return to Play

It is hoped he will make his first-class return for Sussex against Durham on Sunday, part of a plan that could see him restored to Stokes’ squad at some point during a five-match series which begins at Headingley on Friday.

There has been an understandable sense of caution about Archer’s latest rehabilitation, which was further delayed by a broken thumb, but the bowler himself has made his own intentions clear – at one stage floating a hurried return in last month’s one-off game against Zimbabwe.

“He’s been absolutely desperate to put the white shirt back on. Randomly, a couple of times, he would just send me a text saying, ‘Zim?’,” said Stokes.

“I was like, ‘Let’s just hold it there, all right. I know you’re in a good spot right now, but let’s not just rush into it’.

“He’s obviously had a horrific time with injuries, but he’s had some good amount of cricket, albeit in the white-ball formats.

“It’s really exciting for England, but also more exciting for Jof that he’s in a position now where we’re able to have a plan in place and hopefully him get through something to actually be considered for selection for Test cricket.”

Having Archer back in the pace armoury would be a massive boost for England in the midst of a seven-month period that sees them take on their two biggest rivals over 10 eagerly anticipated games.

Big Year Ahead

Win against India in the coming weeks, then reclaim the Ashes Down Under and Stokes would go down as one of his country’s greatest ever skippers, but he is not ready to think in those terms.

“There’s always a different buzz coming up against India and Australia in particular, purely because of how big those series are,” he said.

“Away from the dressing room, we know what these series mean compared to other ones. We do understand that.

“But defining a career as England captain isn’t something that I sit there and really think about, honestly. If that’s what I’m really bothered about, in my opinion it’s just completely and utterly selfish and that ain’t me.

“I don’t tend to worry myself generally about what other people are going to say or think about what I’ve done as a captain at the end of it.

“I’d like to think that since I’ve done this role I’ve done it wholeheartedly and thrown everything I possibly have into doing it.”

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