Archer ruled out of English summer with another stress fracture

Jofra Archer's career trajectory continues to be impacted by injuries as the English pacer has once again been ruled out of the summer due to another stress fracture on his lower back. He was expected to make a comeback later this year but the severity of the injury has further come as a huge setback.

"After being diagnosed with a stress fracture to the lower back, England and Sussex seamer Jofra Archer has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

"No timeframe has been set for his return. A management plan will be determined following further specialist opinion over the coming days," said the ECB in a statement on Thursday (May 19).

In the last 14 months, the Sussex pacer has undergone three bouts of injury. Even though he made a comeback after the first elbow surgery, playing one T20 Blast game and one Royal London Cup warm-up match for Sussex, he was diagnosed with a stress fracture which led to an operation in December.

With England set to play India in July, Archer was seen as a big hope for the home side but now his red-ball career has come under severe doubt that if he could ever make a comeback to the Test side and be the same impactful bowler that he once was. Earlier, he had admitted the doubt and confusion in his own head in a column for the Daily Mail. 

"In a situation like this, when you are forced to have operations, you do think about whether you are going to play cricket again, whether you're going to play all formats even. But the ECB gave me the assurance and peace of mind that they wanted me around for a long time."

The latest setback is sure to pose further questions in that regard.