England coach Matthew Mott being patient with ‘box office’ Jofra Archer in Ashes and World Cup year

On England’s current tour of Bangladesh, Archer picked up five wickets across his two appearances in the three-match series which Mott’s side won 2-1.

Archer’s workload from now until the start of the English summer will be a diet of T20s - firstly with England again facing Bangladesh in a three-match series, before he heads to the Indian Premier League. | Photo Credit: Getty Images

England fast bowler Jofra Archer is “ticking all the boxes” following his return from debilitating elbow and back injuries but is still “not fully firing on all cylinders”, white-ball head coach Matthew Mott has said.

Archer, 27, has not played for England since March 2021 and not taken part in any competitive match since July 2021.

He was scheduled to return to the field last year after undergoing multiple elbow surgeries in 2021, but a back stress fracture days before his comeback further delayed his return.

Reports this season suggest the tearaway bowler, bought by Mumbai Indians for Rs eight crore, will play the entire IPL 2023 season.

Mott, however, said the bowler’s workload is being carefully managed. He played two of the three ODIs in South Africa, and Mott repeated the same regimen for his ace pacer during the recent three-match 50-over series against Bangladesh.

The coach said he was acting on medical advice.

“Not really, no. The medical advice was definitely not back-to-back games.

“He (Archer) would admit that he’s not fully firing on all cylinders. You can see he’s ticking all the boxes to get back to his best,” Mott, who took over the England white-ball side after guiding Australia women to 50-over World Cup glory last year, was quoted as saying by Sky Sports.

Archer, who played a vital role in England’s ODI World Cup triumph in 2019 with 20 wickets across 11 matches, has grabbed 12 scalps in the four ODI appearances he has made -- against SA and Bangladesh -- since returning to the international fold in January this year.

He had figures of 6/40 in the third ODI against South Africa during the thee-match series in January-February. The paceman had made an eye-catching return to competitive cricket, taking 3/27 for MI Cape Town in the SA20 league.

Archer’s workload from now until the start of the Ashes at home will mostly be T20 games -- firstly, the three-game series against Bangladesh and then the IPL.

“He’s a box office player . He’s fitted back into the group beautifully, and it’s an incredible effort for a fast bowler to be out for that long and come back and play as he has done.

“He just seems to be really slowly, strategically just making sure he’s doing it right and ticking over and come the Ashes, come the World Cup, I’m sure you’ll see him back to his best.”