Archer has been placed under observation by England’s medical staff due to a left side strain he suffered at the 3rd Ashes test in Adelaide; however, England has made it clear that they will hold a spot open for him at the 2020 World Cup several months before the event commences. This decision illustrates their belief in the magnitude of what Archer brings to their side. England’s opening T20 World Cup match is scheduled for February 8th, in Mumbai, which will be a day after the tournament starts. The risk for this approach is that Archer’s body will heal as quickly as England needs it to. The potential gain is a top-line fast bowler, whose ability to shift momentum in a T20 game over a mere 4 overs has been well documented.
England’s Faith in Ceiling Over Certainty
The fact that Archer is included in “T20 World Cup Only” further reinforces the idea that England values upside over availability. Since he made his T20I debut, Archer has consistently been able to maintain an elite level of economy in high-pressure overs; specifically, when it counts most (at the end). Therefore, England is basically stating that four overs of their best Archer is worth six weeks of training time from a fully fit player who is available.
This isn’t new thinking. England has attempted similar gambits previously by taking chances on bowlers (Mark Wood) and all-rounders (Ben Stokes) during previous ICC tournaments. This time around, the difference is that Archer is older; he has an extensive workload history, and England’s bowling group has fewer fast bowlers available for selection than ever before.
Josh Tongue and the Search for Fresh Violence
Archer is an example of a player who consistently performs at a high level and represents confidence in the best of what we know how to do. Josh Tongue’s first call-up to the T20I team, however, illustrates England’s search for something new and disruptive. Tongue’s rise to prominence has happened quickly due to his bouncy deliveries, his high delivery point, and his awkward pace, which can travel very effectively between formats.
That Tongue was selected for both the Sri Lanka tour and the provisional World Cup squad indicates that England views him as an option rather than merely cover for another player. It is also worth noting that Brydon Carse will be part of the touring party in Sri Lanka but will miss out on the World Cup Group, and this may indicate that England is already evaluating players based on their suitability for conditions in subcontinent countries.
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Sri Lanka Tour as Controlled Experiment
A test ground for England, this trip to Sri Lanka, featuring three ODIs in Colombo and three Twenty20 Internationals in Kandy, provides the opportunity for trials of various bowling combinations, primarily through the middle overs, but also at the death. The fact that Zak Crawley is returning to the ODI set-up after a break of more than a year adds a layer to this trip, while Will Jacks’ inclusion in all formats indicates that there is now renewed faith in players with multiple skills.
Each over that is bowled in Kandy will provide a quiet answer to one question: how long can England realistically continue to hold out for Archer’s return?
England’s initial T20 World Cup team has nothing to do with being comfortable; it’s all about believing in what you’re doing. The decision to select Jofra Archer, who was injured during the selection process, is based on pure reason: it is match winners who win tournaments, not the number of players available. England is looking up at the ceiling by having both Jofra’s potential return from injury, along with some of the new emerging talent (Josh Tongue), and an evolving batting line-up around Harry Brook, rather than taking the safe route.