Jofra Archer could return to training in a fortnight’s time after a piece of glass from a broken fish tank was surgically removed from the middle finger on his bowling hand.
England have announced that Monday’s operation was a success and Archer will now undergo a two-week rehabilitation programme before the consultant reviews the injury and decides if he can return to the nets at Sussex. However, the question of whether the 25-year-old can feature in the second half of the upcoming Indian Premier League for Rajasthan Royals will still hinge on the elbow issue that recently required a second cortisone injection.
With England wary of keeping Archer fresh for the T20 World Cup and Ashes campaigns later this year, caution will remain the watchword. There is less concern about the finger injury he suffered back in January when, as revealed by the Guardian, he dropped a fish tank while cleaning it in the bath of his flat and a shard of glass got into a small cut.
In a statement on Wednesday, the England and Wales Cricket Board said: “Jofra Archer underwent successful surgery to his right hand on Monday. A fragment of glass was removed during the operation to his middle finger on his right hand.
“He will now commence two weeks of rehabilitation. The Consultant will review him before returning to training. Further update on his elbow injury will be provided once he has returned to bowling to assess the effectiveness of his recent injection.
“Archer suffered a cut to his hand while cleaning at his home in January shortly before flying to India to prepare for the Test series. The ECB’s medical team managed the injury throughout the tour, and it did not impact on his availability.”