'Just need some fine-tuning': Jofra Archer opens up on his return to competitive cricket

England's star bowler Jofra Archer has opened up on his return to competitive cricketer after months of absence due to multiple injuries. Archer has admitted that he is still not fully fit but added that he just needs some fine-tuning now to refine his game. Archer also hoped to repeat what he did at the international level in 2019 when England won the ODI World Cup and reached a stalemate in the Ashes series against Australia. 

"Hopefully it can be a repeat of 2019. We’ve again got a 50-over World Cup and an Ashes in the same year, so more of the same, please. There’s no reason to look back. I’ve done my time and I’m here now. That’s the most important thing. I’d probably say I’m about 80 per cent. Just some fine tuning now," Archer was quoted as saying to Fox Sports.  

"I know whenever I‘m fully fit, I don’t think there’s much that can stop me; it’s just a matter of when that was going to be. Playing cricket again for the first time a few weeks ago, [I’m] still riding off that wave of emotions right now," Archer added. 

"Hopefully in two days it can go up another level. It‘s just been good to play cricket and actually not have to worry about if my body’s going to give way. I think that was the most important tick for me so far," he concluded. 

Archer's return to competitive cricket

Archer finally made a comeback to an England shirt in November 2022 as he played for the Lions in a three-day match against the Test side in the United Arab Emirates. Archer then featured in the inaugural season of South Africa's new T20 league, SA20. He represented the Mumbai Indians' MI Cape Town franchise in the new South African league. 

Archer will next be seen in a three-match ODI series between England and South Africa starting January 27. Archer last played an ODI game for England in September 2020. As far as Archer's record is concerned, he has played 13 Tests, 17 ODIs, and 12 T20I games for England since making his debut in 2019. The 27-year-old has picked 42 wickets in Tests, 30 wickets in 50-over cricket, and 14 wickets in the shortest format for England at averages of 31.04, 24.00, and 26.50, respectively. 

Image: AP