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England pacer Jofra Archer set to return to first-class cricket with County Championship game for Sussex
The County game against Jofra Archer is going to be a litmus test for Archer to prove his fitness for the home Test summer.
England's premier fast bowler Jofra Archer is all set to return to First-Class cricket. Archer, who missed the first half of IPL 2021 due to a hand injury, was on named in Sussex's 13-man squad for the County Championship clash against Kent.
Archer has had to deal with a few issues in the past couple of months. He damaged a tendon on his right hand while attempting to clean his fish tank. A piece of glass was found later that ruled him out for a part of IPL 2021.
When this happened, he was already undergoing treatment for a long-term elbow problem.
The County game against Archer is going to be a litmus Test for Archer to prove his fitness for the home Test summer. England are scheduled to host New Zealand for a two-match Test series followed by a five-match bilateral series against India.
Archer last feature for England on May 20; during the fifth T20I against India at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium.
Sussex head Ian Salisbury, in a statement posted on the club's website, said: "Any team in world cricket would be excited to name Jof (Archer) in their squad for a game. Everybody is aware of his talents."
He added: "Are we going to force him to come back when he's actually England's player? Say he gets an injury and he can't play in the Test matches this summer - I wouldn't be very popular."
This would be Archer's first appearance in the County Championship since September 2018 and he will continue his return to fitness by playing for Sussex in the County Championship this week.
Archer has 178 wickets to his name, at an average of 26.76, in 42 First-Class games. For England in Tests, Archer has claimed 42 wickets in 13 matches so far.
(With Agency inputs)
