England fast bowler Jofra Archer will miss the rest of the season due to a stress fracture in his lower back.
It’s another setback for the 27-year-old, who hasn’t played since last July after undergoing two elbow surgeries.
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Archer was on the mend and expected to play domestic cricket this month before experiencing back pain last week.
He will also miss the T20 World Cup in Australia this autumn, with no timetable for his return set.
It is the latest injury to an England pace bowler, with seven ruled out of the summer’s first Test against New Zealand, including Archer.
Four of the remaining six players have back injuries: Sam Curran, Olly Stone, Matt Fisher, and Saqib Mahmood.
This new setback will be troubling for Archer, who was once England’s most exciting pace prospect but is now out for more than a year.
He was called up just before the 2019 World Cup and bowled the’super over’ that helped England defeat New Zealand in the final at Lord’s.
Later that summer, he made his Test debut against Australia on the same ground, bowling a ferocious spell that resulted in Steve Smith being struck on the helmet and suffering a concussion.
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Archer has taken 86 international wickets in 13 Tests, 17 One-Day Internationals, and 12 Twenty20 Internationals for England. His final appearance for England will be in March 2021.
He has also had a successful career in franchise leagues, and in 2020 he was named the Indian Premier League’s Most Valuable Player.
