Archer wants to play 2025-26 Ashes in Australia

England fast bowler Jofra Archer says he wants to play in the 2025-26 Ashes series in Australia as he plots his return to Test cricket.

Archer has not featured in the longer format since February 2021 having been hampered by back and elbow injuries over the last three years.

The 29-year-old played a full part in England’s recent T20 World Cup campaign, however, which has raised hopes his injury problems could finally be behind him.

Archer’s pace on traditionally bouncy Australian pitches would be a major asset to England captain Ben Stokes’ bid to regain the urn.

England will continue to take a cautious approach with their management of Archer’s workloads and he will not play any red-ball cricket in 2024.

“I am going to use the rest of this year to make sure that is at least a possibility,” Archer said, when discussing the next Ashes tour.

“I’m tired of going on Instagram and seeing posts saying ‘he’s going to be on the physio’s bed in the next two weeks’ and stuff like that.

“I want to spend the rest of the year proving some people wrong and hopefully play in another Ashes.”

Archer was a star of England’s 2019 World Cup-winning campaign, bowling the super over in the final victory against New Zealand.

Later that summer the Sussex man bowled with ferocious hostility on his Ashes debut at Lord’s, striking a blow to Steve Smith that led to one of Australia’s premier batters having to be withdrawn because of a concussion.

England managing director Rob Key said in April that next year’s home Test series against India was a realistic goal for Archer.

Speaking as part of the BBC TV coverage of the opening match of The Hundred, Archer also signalled his intention to play first-class cricket early next summer.

“I will manage myself as best as possible and get myself [through] until at least maybe the start of the Championship next year,” Archer explained.

“I’ll probably play a few of those [games] and keep building up and getting that workload ready for Test cricket.”

He is set to make his long-awaited debut in The Hundred when the Southern Brave play London Spirit at Southampton on Wednesday.

He added: “I am feeling good and want to get some games in. I am going to enjoy this little phase of some white-ball cricket.”

Analysis – former England captain Michael Vaughan

This is what everyone is hoping for. That Jofra Archer will be on that plane to Australia so let’s hope that goes to plan.

It’s great to see him back playing white-ball cricket, but he still needs to take his time.

Even if we have to wait all the way up until the Ashes in 2025 we will be happy.

I am looking into my crystal ball and thinking Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Gus Atkinson would be a handy bowling attack for the Ashes.

I am pretty sure all the batters around the world are also thinking ‘no thank you’.  — bbc.com