Image source, Getty Images
- Author, Matthew Henry
- Role, BBC Sport Journalist in Barbados
England bowler Jofra Archer says he sometimes “felt like a burden” during his lengthy injury struggles over the last four years.
Archer made a stunning start to his international career in 2019, bowling the super over in England’s World Cup win and impressing in the Ashes later that summer.
“I’ve seen a few comments, people saying he’s on the longest paid holiday I’ve ever seen,” said Archer.
“You try to not let it get to you but you can ignore 100 of them but sometimes that 101st is the straw that breaks the camel’s back. Sometimes you feel like a burden not playing.”
Archer was speaking at the Winward Cricket Club in the south of Barbados as England trained before their second match of the World Cup on Saturday against Australia.
His family, plus his dogs and two parrots Jessie and James – named after Pokemon characters – live just 150m away and it is where he did much of his rehab as he recovered from the elbow injury that kept him out from March 2023.
The Scotland washout, in which Archer bowled two overs for 12 runs and afterwards was invited to a hospitality box by the Barbados prime minister, was the first international he has played in the country of his birth, and he received a warm ovation from the Bridgetown crowd.
It included cheers from around 100 schoolchildren from his former school, Foundation, who had all been given the day off to attend.
“It was really, really emotional,” said Archer, who also played club cricket in Barbados for Wildey as part of his rehab. “I had a little bit of water in my eye and it wasn’t the rain.”
Despite his injury issues, which have included a recurring stress fracture in his elbow and a back stress fracture, Archer received a two-year England contract last year.
“I made a joke with Keysy [England manager director of men’s cricket Rob Key] earlier where I said I’m really glad I’m back playing because I reckon I would have lost my contract in October,” added Archer.
“He laughed and said, no you’re all right’.”
Archer will only play white-ball cricket this year but it is hoped he will return to the Test side next year in the run-up to the 2025-26 Ashes in Australia.
“I’ve got a PDF file of every single game I’m supposed to play in from now ’til next summer anyway,” said Archer, who has felt fit since November but has been carefully managing his return.
“[England] have really planned out almost everything.
“Probably the only thing they haven’t planned out is the showers I take.
“It’s been really, really good. It was really planned out and even when I wasn’t playing they made me feel really involved as well.”