LONDON: England fast bowler Jofra Archer was on Tuesday ruled out of the Ashes series against Australia starting next month but a fit-again Jonny Bairstow has returned to the Test squad for the one-off match against Ireland on June 1.

Archer spent 17 months on the sidelines following elbow and back injuries before returning to international cricket in January.

The 28-year-old, who will be missing for the rest of the summer, played five matches for Mumbai Indians before the injury ended his Indian Premier League (IPL) stint last week.

“It has been a frustrating and upsetting period for Jofra Archer,” Rob Key, managing director for England men’s cricket, said. “He was making good progress until a recurrence of the elbow injury, which kept him out for an extended period previously.

“I’m sure we will see Jofra back to his best and winning games for England, whatever the format. Hopefully, sooner rather than later.”

England especially want the speedster fully fit for their title defence at the 50-overs World Cup in India in October-November.

Bairstow will don the wicket-keeper’s gloves after returning from a freak golf injury in September that kept him out of the T20 World Cup in Australia last year.

Ben Foakes was dropped to accommodate Bairstow, a key cog in England’s ultra-aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach to Test cricket, for the Ashes warm-up against Ireland at Lord’s.

“It was a seriously tough decision to leave Ben Foakes out of the squad,” Key said. “He has been excellent for England in the last year, but Jonny Bairstow is one of the best players in the world whose performances last summer epitomised what we are about.”

All-rounder Chris Woakes was recalled to the Test squad for the first time since March 2022, while Durham fast bowler Mark Wood also returned after skipping the tour of New Zealand.

The injuries suffered recently by skipper Ben Stokes (knee) and seamer James Anderson (groin) did not appear serious, with both retained in the squad.

Surrey batter Ollie Pope was confirmed as England’s vice-captain ahead of the Ashes series beginning at Edgbaston on June 16.

Squad: Ben Stokes (captain), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2023