T20 World Cup: How visits to Barbados and playing for his first club helped Jofra Archer make a comeback for England

T20 world cup 2024 in USA-Caribbean is about location, relocation, and revival. For the US, it’s their biggest attempt in trying to locate themselves in the cricketing world map. For players like Jofra Archer and for smaller associate countries, it’s about revival of a dream at the biggest stage.

Last week tearway quick Jofra Archer dismissed Pakistan’s Azam Khan with his first delivery on return to international cricket after over a year. Chris Jordan, a fellow Barbadian who also plays for England, said he got goosebumps on the field. A 145kmph delivery first up in the T20 International was the perfect way for Archer to announce his return after struggling for three years to find form. Following two stress fractures of the elbow, a stress fracture of the back and two surgeries, Archer was bowling at a scorching pace with the T20 World Cup just around the corner.

“For him to get the first one out the way, it gives goosebumps to see him take that wicket. He’s phenomenal. To be out of international cricket for so long, to touch 90mph and just look like he never left is awesome. And he will keep getting better with games,” Jordan said.

At one point it seemed like Archer could have already played his last game for England but the wonderfully gifted Barbados-born fast bowler with a smooth action, lethal short ball, a vicious yorker and scary pace is again making life difficult for batsmen.

The smile we’ve been waiting to see! 😃

Live score/clips: https://t.co/Ad8Vmllvyb

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #ENGvPAK 🇵🇰@JofraArcher pic.twitter.com/seCMLmM3jB

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 25, 2024

In the second T20 International versus Pakistan on Thursday, Archer got rid of skipper Babar Azam just as he was starting to play with freedom. Some of his deliveries were again clocked upwards of 145kmph. .
The first sign of Archer cranking up the pace during the comeback trail was spotted by his mentor at Wildey Cricket Club in Barbados, home where Archer’s heart lies. To break the monotony during rehabilitation in England, Archer made to and fro trips.

Archer’s mentor Roddy Estwick who played for Barbados in the heydays of West Indies cricket in the 1980s talks about how the 29-year-old bowled the relegation-threatened club side to victory in December.

“I could see him enter a state where he was at peace. And in one of the net sessions, after having bowled medium-pace for a while, I could see him cranking up pace. Batsmen were suddenly not willing to face him. The confidence was growing,” Estwick tell The Indian Express

And then came the bouncer, which Australia Test great Steve Smith once described as ‘felt like drinking a dozen beers’ after getting hit on his helmet. “The bouncer, which is hard to pick, was being delivered effortlessly in the nets. The pace was increasing by the day. So this comeback doesn’t surprise me one bit,” Estwick says.

Pet dogs, beaches and deep-sea diving

Barbados cricketing legacy is second to none. The three Ws, arguably the greatest all-rounder Gary Sobers, fast bowling greats Wes Hall and Charlie Griffith, Joel Garner and famous openers Desmond Haynes and Gordon Greenidge hail from this island. Barbados is also the home to beautiful and tranquil beaches. It was at one of the beaches – St Philip – that Archer’s foray into cricket began. He fell in love with fast bowling and joined the Wildey Cricket Club.

Few people in cricket know Archer better than Estwick. From the time Archer walked into the Wildey Cricket Club as a 15-year old, Estwick had been a constant presence in his life. Although it was Estwick’s decision to leave him out of the West Indies Under-19 World Cup squad that prompted Archer to switch base to England, the pair still share a close bond.

Barbados is a place where Archer can be himself. Walk on the streets without the shutterbugs hassling him, drive his all-wheel drive jeep, go to Crane beach and rest on the pink sand or go on a yacht ride. Deep sea-diving to spot turtles is also a pastime.

“When he is home, he is himself. This is his place, where he is comfortable. Yes, he is playing for England now. But this is Barbados. This is his home country. This is his own environment. People who raised him are here. People who grew up with him are here. His friends, his club, his dogs…everything is here. He is a Barbadian out and out. And when you are here, it is only good if you are Barbadian, enjoying nature,” Estwick says.

Estwick would ensure the pacer stayed in the best frame of mind. “He came here because he was tired with what was going around. Here, he has the beaches and more importantly beautiful weather, where he can just hit the seas and have a swim. And then, he can always be with his dogs. Right through this period, apart from the time we spent in the nets, we talked mostly about dogs,” Estwick says.

Beyond cricket, Archer’s love for dogs is well known. He has set up JA Kennels in St Philip that houses American Bully and French Bulldogs breeds. Despite losing his favourite ‘Blu’ during this tough period, the first thing that Archer did upon landing in Barbados was to buy five Pitbulls.

“That is very important for him because you need to keep your mind in a good shape because there is a lot happening with rehab. How long could you talk about cricket, about how the ball is coming out and the run-up, when he isn’t playing? With dogs, he could just get away from all of it. More than anyone, he spent a lot of time with his dogs. He was able to get away from it (injuries) and go back to his family and friends. What we saw was Jofra Archer, the Barbadian. Not Jofra Archer, the Superstar,” Estwick says.

Every few weeks, Archer would hop into a plane, and head to the UK, where tests and scans would be done regularly. The big worry for Estwick and Archer was whether the injury would resurface. “Naturally, he had doubts. But we never spoke about it. Being close, you could sense the fear. He is only a human. He would come and say ‘What if I get injured again? Is this the final show? Or have I already played my last international?…all of these questions were coming up,” Estwick recalls.

Archer’s long-time mentor, however, says Archer handled the predicament with a calm head. The England and Wales Cricket Board, Estwick adds, deserves credit too.

“I would be sitting at my home in Christchurch and Archer would be like ‘What’s up coach, come over.’ That’s when I knew he needed me. The ECB had given him everything he could have asked for. The best part of it all was, they treated him like an adult. They put a program in place and let him be on his own. And he did all of it on his own… I just had to be around to see if the bowling mechanisms were in place. Sometimes, because of impatience, you could rush in and make it worse. This time given all that he went through, we just had to be wiser,” Estwick says.

Jofra with the breakthrough! 🔥 #EnglandCricket | @JofraArcher pic.twitter.com/vVnxX8HqNe

— England Cricket (@englandcricket) May 30, 2024

Homecoming match

While Archer’s long-awaited comeback for England is well on course, the whole of Barbados is waiting for his homecoming. Not everyone was pleased with Archer’s decision to move to the UK and represent England but as he made a mark in international cricket, the sentiment changed.

Since leaving the island, Archer hasn’t played a competitive fixture in Barbados. On June 4, when England play Scotland, Archer would get a chance to play at Bridgetown, in familiar surroundings. “I’ve been praying all along to see him play at Bridgetown. He has chosen England, but he is one of own. The boy we knew as Jo, would be coming back as a Superstar. He relishes the big games and I’m sure he would come out all guns blazing with his family and friends watching,” Estwick says.

There is a small issue that needs to be sorted before his ‘home’ game. Archer also wants his dogs at the venue. But it is unclear if pets will be allowed.

“He wants his dogs to be in, but not sure how he is going to get them in.”

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