Jofra Archer's World Cup dreams over: Luke Wright says he's run out of time

England chief selector Luke Wright has confirmed that Jofra Archer is running against time, and only a miraculous recovery can revive his World Cup hopes

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced the list of 15 players that will most likely feature in the Men's ODI World Cup 2023 on Wednesday, August 16, 2023. Jofra Archer, the team's most successful bowler in the last campaign at home, which also resulted in England's first-ever ODI World Cup victory, has missed out on their title defence.

Until he recovers miraculously from his injuries, he is unlikely to be named in the final and revised World Cup squad by September 28, 2023, confirmed England's chief selector and Archer's former Sussex teammate Luke Wright.

"When you look at that squad, you cannot have a bowler that might not be available for the second half and definitely not for the first half. If something miraculous happens with him, we have time to change things but I just don't see it happening. It is just coming too soon and we can't rush this decision on Jof (Jofra Archer) this time," Wright was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

Archer, who has been out with a stress fracture injury to his elbow since April 2023, hasn't played any competitive game since the IPL 2023. While announcing the team, which features Ben Stokes, who has come out of his ODI retirement, Wright said there has to be a duty of care with Archer and his injuries.

"We know how desperate we all are to have him - there's no doubt about that - but we've also got to get it right for him. He's been miserable with these injuries… regarding the World Cup, unfortunately, we're just running out of time," said the former England all-rounder who himself featured in the 2011 World Cup.

Can Archer be a part of the England squad at any point at the World Cup, which begins on October 5, 2023? Answering this Wright said, "Best-case scenario for Jof really at the moment would probably be [that he is] available for the back-end of the tournament. That's the best-case scenario, which, in a squad of 15, will leave us quite light."

England's World Cup squad features six regular fast bowlers, which has a surprise pick in Gus Atkinson, who has been called express pace by the people who have seen him play in domestic cricket for Surrey. Harry Brook, the all-format top-order batter who can also bowl, has also not been able to get his place booked as Stokes has got his number on his return.

England's World Cup squad

Jos Buttler (Lancashire – captain)

Moeen Ali (Warwickshire)

Gus Atkinson (Surrey)

Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire)

Sam Curran (Surrey)

Liam Livingstone (Lancashire)

Dawid Malan (Yorkshire)

Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)

Joe Root (Yorkshire)

Jason Roy (Surrey)

Ben Stokes (Durham)

Reece Topley (Surrey)

David Willey (Northamptonshire)

Mark Wood (Durham)

Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)