Image Source- ECB
A hospital pass it was. During Jofra Archer’s first
day of training with England’s white-ball team at the Kia Oval while he
recovers from an elbow injury, David Willey found himself in the indoor school
receiving inquiries from the media.
In the weeks leading up to the World Cup four years
ago, Willey was forced out of England’s ODI squad as a result of Archer being
quickly added to the team. Willey “shed a tear” when watching on
television as Archer bowled England to victory against New Zealand in the
championship game at Lord’s and thought his international career was gone.
Willey’s inclusion in England’s preliminary team for
the 2023 competition is to his credit. Only Adil Rashid had more ODI wickets
(36), at an average of 22.19 over the past four years, during this World Cup
cycle. In the first two games of the current four-match series against New
Zealand, he has contributed with the bat and on the field and has performed
well.
Although it is still unlikely that Archer will be
included in England’s final World Cup squad, his participation in training
suggests that he is on track to travel to India as a travelling reserve. This
will allow England to track his recovery and add him to their squad in the
event that a frontline seamer gets hurt.
Speaking last month, selector Luke Wright said that
England had “run out of time” in their bid to get Archer fit for the
World Cup: “There is a duty of care with him. We have to make sure that,
long term, we get it right… If something miraculous happens with him, we have
time to change things but I just don’t see it happening.”
If Archer is unable to return in time for the World
Cup, he may play for England on their December white-ball tour to the
Caribbean, where they are scheduled to play three ODIs and five T20I. They will
also hope that he will be healthy enough to assist them in retaining the T20
World Cup in June.
Despite his performances in the build-up, Willey will
not believe his place at the World Cup is secure until he leaves for India.
“Until you’re on that flight out there you can’t rest on your
laurels,” he said. Asked specifically about the possibility of being cut
from the squad at the last minute, he said: “Hopefully not.
“Goodness me, that would be a tough one to take…
[but] it is professional sport, and things do change. I made a promise to
myself that I’d play every game for England as if it was my last and I try and
do that now. Things change and, if it changes for me, then it’s nothing I
haven’t been through before.”