Jofra Archer 's injury nightmare has continued, with the England quick being ruled out for the entire season after suffering a stress fracture of the back.
Archer had been gearing up to return to action for Sussex in the T20 Blast this summer, having been forced to undergo two operations in a bid to fix a chronic elbow problem. The 27-year-old has not played for England since last March and this latest injury setback is heartbreaking for such a talented cricketer.
Since debuting for England in 2019, Archer has been a key member of the side in all formats, with his combination of express pace, hostility and pinpoint accuracy a rare combination that has made him a genuine threat with both the red and white ball.
However, there have long been concerns about the potential for England to overwork Archer, with legendary West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding issuing a stark warning following his Test debut. Fresh from bowling the all-important super over in England's 2019 Cricket World Cup win, Archer debuted at Lord's against Australia in the second Ashes Test as a replacement for the injured James Anderson with Joe Root's side already 1-0 down in the series.
With England desperately trying to level the series, Archer bowled a total of 44 overs in the match - more than any other England bowler. And Holding claimed such a workload was tantamount to "abuse", warning it was "not sustainable" and could lead to a drop in his pace.
He told the i : "It's abuse. England need to be very careful with Archer. He is obviously very fit, as you could see with his recovery from the side strain.
"He relies on rhythm and looks very relaxed running in. All that is in his favour but it is not sustainable for England to use him like this in every match.
"Archer bowled a third of all the overs bowled on that day. That's a spinner's quota. If you keep bowling him like this you will lose the 96mph delivery."
However, England did not heed Holding's warning and Archer ended up sending down a total of 400.5 overs across all three formats in 2019. That was more than any of his other England colleagues that year and made all the more remarkable by the fact he did not make his debut until May.
In just his fifth Test, Archer bowled a whopping 42 overs in one innings against New Zealand and, just two months later in February 2020, was sidelined with a stress fracture in his elbow. He has been battling a chronic elbow problem ever since, only playing intermittently as England have attempted to manage the injury.
Since the beginning of 2020, Archer has featured in just six of England's 28 Test matches and his two elbow surgeries forced him to miss both the T20 World Cup and the Ashes. This latest injury has sparked concerns over his long-term future and former England captain Michael Atherton questioned last year whether Archer "has a future across all three forms of the game."
He wrote in the Times : "He has played 13 Tests, 17 ODIs and a dozen T20 internationals and is regarded as a critically important all-format bowler, but there must be a doubt now over his long-term effectiveness and whether he has a future across all three forms of the game."
