Follow UsWith the Ashes less than a month away, England would be pleased with the way Jofra Archer is building up towards it. On October 29 (Wednesday), Archer bowled a superb spell, where he finished with figures of 3/23 against New Zealand in Hamilton. In his 10-over spell, he bowled as many as three maidens and 51 dot balls, further underscoring how vital he could prove to be in the Ashes, if he keeps fit.
In the previous two ODIs, Archer finished with 4/18 and 4/62 and in the T20I that followed, he picked up 3/25 - all against South Africa. Given that he has been on a wicket-taking spree, England would want to make the best of it for the Ashes.
It's no secret that fitness has been a major concern with Archer, who, since his debut, has played just 15 Tests, 35 ODIs and 35 T20Is.
He seemed to be in excellent rhythm when he made his Test return after four years against India, picking up nine wickets across two Tests while bowling over 88 overs along the way. With Chris Woakes retiring recently, coupled with the retirements of James Anderson and Stuart Broad, England are in a transitional phase as far as their bowling attack is concerned.
The 30-year-old pacer, who has 51 wickets in 15 Tests, could help ease the pressure a bit. The five-match Ashes series will get underway from November 21 onwards, starting with the first Test in Perth.