Jofra Archer confirmed for IPL auction after initial omission.©(@LoyalSachinFan)
Jofra Archer will be part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction after initially being excluded from the final list of players. The England fast bowler had initially appeared on the longlist for the auction, but his name needed to be more present in the 574 players announced last week. The reason for Archer’s withdrawal was unclear. Still, there appears to have been confusion over his participation in the IPL auction, especially considering new rules that could have affected his future in the tournament.
Under the new regulations, any player who has previously been featured in the IPL and has not entered the auction will be banned from playing for two years. This rule appears to have played a key role in Archer’s decision to join the auction, as he had previously been involved in the tournament. The 29-year-old has faced a long battle with injuries, mainly since 2020, but has been carefully managed by England’s medical staff after suffering an elbow setback last summer.
Archer has remained a crucial part of England’s white-ball setup since May, and he has expressed his desire to return to Test cricket, a format he has not played in for nearly four years. However, if an IPL team selects Archer, this could complicate his plans for a Test return. To regain a place in England’s Test team, Archer would need to prove his fitness in the County Championship for Sussex, but the season’s early rounds coincide with the IPL. If he skips red-ball cricket at the start of the summer, it would likely hinder his chances of making the squad for a home Test in 2025 and could cast doubt on his inclusion in next year’s Ashes series in Australia.
All centrally contracted England players are permitted to enter the IPL auction. Archer will join the 38 English players in contention, including white-ball captain Jos Buttler and veteran paceman James Anderson. Anderson, England’s all-time leading wicket-taker, has never participated in an overseas franchise league. Test captain Ben Stokes, fast bowler Mark Wood, and batter Joe Root have all opted out of the auction.
Archer’s participation in the IPL auction could see him return to one of the world’s premier T20 leagues, but his future in red-ball cricket remains uncertain as he balances the demands of both formats.
