Rob Key backs ‘unbelievable talent' Jofra Archer to thrive on Test match return
Jofra Archer has been backed to hit the ground running if the fast bowler makes his much-anticipated Test return for England against India in the next fortnight.
Archer is in England's squad for the second Test at Edgbaston, starting next Wednesday, despite only making his first-class comeback this week after a four-year absence following repeated injury setbacks.
He sent down 18 overs across four spells at Durham, bowling economically and at high pace in taking one for 32, but his coach at Sussex, Paul Farbrace, feels Archer still needs more time in county cricket.
Rob Key, England's managing director of men's cricket, insisted they are not taking a gamble with Archer's fitness as they weigh up whether to play him at Edgbaston or at Lord's for the third Test.
Key is convinced whenever Archer gets given the green light, the 30-year-old will not take long to hit his stride and prove exactly why England have stuck with him through thick and thin in recent years.
'When he finally comes back either next week or the week after, touch wood, then that will be brilliant,' said Key, speaking at a Rothesay media event.
'He will be fit and available for both. Whether he could play both, we'll find that out afterwards, if he did play at Edgbaston.
'He isn't going to forget how to bowl. There's not a lot of moving parts to his action in terms of complications, and he's 30 years old now, he knows exactly what he's doing and what he's about.
'He's an unbelievable talent. I think Jof is one of the best bowlers in the world. I don't know what people expect from him – I just think he'll bowl a decent pace and ask a few questions along the way.'
Archer appeared a generational talent following a breakthrough summer in 2019 but stress fractures in his right elbow and back mean he earned the last of his 13 Test caps in February 2021.
England's bowling coach Neil Killeen crafted a meticulous two-year plan alongside doctors and physios to get Archer back into international cricket frequently and ready for the rigours of Tests.
He has been a white-ball regular for England for the last 12 months although a broken thumb sustained at the Indian Premier League derailed hopes of him being available for the start of the Test summer.
Archer faces a battle to break into the XI as England might be reluctant to break up a winning formula – after a five-wicket victory at Headingley – and if he is overlooked in Birmingham, he could return to Sussex to play the last two days of their County Championship match against Warwickshire next week.
'We've picked him in the squad and we'll see how the conditions are,' added Key.
'We've got to decisions to make because these next two Tests are very close together and you want to be able to sustain that pressure throughout these back-to-back Test matches.
'The guys (who played at Headingley) got better the more they bowled. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. (Anyone who is not selected) can go back and play the last two days of the championship.'
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