Jofra Archer will be absent from the 2024 edition of the IPL as the ECB takes charge of managing his workload leading up to the T20 World Cup next year.
Archer, who suffered an elbow stress fracture while playing for Mumbai Indians in the IPL in May 2023, has not played professional cricket since. He is not among the over 1000 names, including 34 England players, who registered for the IPL auction on December 19. The ECB has reportedly advised Archer not to participate in the auction.
The managing director of England men’s cricket, Rob Key, emphasized the importance of working with franchise leagues, but the ECB believes managing Archer’s comeback will be more effective if he remains in the UK under its supervision rather than being part of an IPL team in India.
No IPL 2024 for Jofra Archer as ECB looks to manage his workload
Archer, who recently signed a two-year central contract with England, left India earlier this year for a minor elbow operation after playing just five IPL games. The ECB aims to have more control over Archer’s rehabilitation as he attempts a comeback, with hopes of including him in the T20 World Cup squad in June 2024.
The ECB’s cautious approach with Archer considers his injury history over the last three years. Last week, Mumbai Indians released Archer, and although MI Cape Town retained him for the SA20, his participation hinges on the progress of his rehabilitation. Archer is expected to undergo training with England’s white-ball squads in Barbados but will not be featuring in the ODI or T20I series against West Indies.
IPL franchises retained eight England players, while Ben Stokes and Joe Root chose to opt-out. Several other leading T20 players from England, including Harry Brook, Adil Rashid, and Chris Woakes, have entered the IPL auction for competitive match practice ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Also read: IPL 2024 Mini Auction Heads to Dubai: Star-Studded Bidding War on December 19
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