Flexible Archer looms as key to England's T20 World Cup defence
England know just how important fast bowler Jofra Archer will be to their title defence at next month's ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
Archer was on Tuesday named in England's 15-player group for the ninth edition of the T20 World Cup in June, with the tall right-armer seemingly having recovered from a host of injury concerns and ready to return to international cricket for the first time in more than 12 months.
While Archer was injured and missed England's unforgettable triumph at the most recent T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022, the 29-year-old was a key member of the squad that won a first ICC Men's Cricket World Cup title in 2019 and is sure to once again be pivotal in their quest for back-to-back tournament victories in the shortest format of the international game.
England's group of fast bowlers to win selection in the squad of 15 for the T20 World Cup consists of firebrand quick Mark Wood, reigning T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament Sam Curran, experienced all-rounder Chris Jordan and tall left-armer Reece Topley, but none have the match-winning ability that Archer possesses according to managing director Rob Key.
Key believes it's Archer's ability to bowl at any stage of an innings that makes him stand out from the rest and he can't wait to see him return to action at the T20 World Cup.
"When you look at the attributes you want for a bowler in international cricket, Jofra has all of them. A lot of bowlers tick one or two of those, but Jofra has absolutely all of them," Key told BBC Sport.
"He can start, bowl in the middle and at the end, and he smack it as well. Fingers crossed we continue to go in the right direction with him."
England lift the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 trophy after beating Pakistan by five wickets in the final.
Respected commentator and England great Nasser Hussain was also thrilled to see Archer's name among those selected for the T20 World Cup and he believes the Barbados-born quick can make a similar impact to star India pacer Jasprit Bumrah.
"Like India's Jasprit Bumrah, Archer is an incredibly skilled multi-phase bowler. He can take the new ball, break partnerships in the middle overs, then come back at the death," Hussain wrote in his column for the Daily Mail.
"It's why he leapfrogged David Willey into the 2019 World Cup squad, and why Ben Stokes entrusted him with the Super Over in the (World Cup) final against New Zealand. Fingers crossed he can stay fit this time."
Sam Curran ecstatic after match-winning spell | ICC Men's T20 WC 2022
England will fly to the Caribbean on 31 May ahead of their first game against Scotland in Barbados on 4 June. They are drawn in Group B at the T20 World Cup alongside Australia, Namibia, Scotland and Oman.
England squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood