"Would not allow Jofra to think about red-ball cricket" - Ian Bishop on England pacer's latest injury setback

Former West Indian pace bowler Ian Bishop has advised Jofra Archer to stop thinking about red-ball cricket for at least the next couple of seasons. Bishop observed how smooth the Barbadian's bowling action is, but felt England over bowled him on a few occasions.

Concerns about Archer's fitness grew when he flew early on from his IPL 2023 stint with the Mumbai Indians. During the tournament, he also traveled to Belgium for a minor procedure on his elbow.

The 28-year-old has now been ruled out of the entire English summer.

Speaking on ESPNcricinfo's Stump Mic, Bishop reflected that workload management and proper strengthening of the body will be key. The 55-year-old highlighted that red-ball cricket will be too much for Archer now.

He said:

"Any fast bowler is, with all these formats that we have now, going to pick it [injuries] up somewhere along the line. So workload management - as much as we hate it - and strengthening the core strength in the body is going to be the key. But do not overbowl them. I personally feel that I would not allow Jofra to think about red-ball cricket, at least for a while in the next couple of seasons. It's too much."

The 28-year-old had played only five matches for the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2023 and his performances were poor compared to the earlier seasons. He managed only two scalps at 95 alongside an economy rate of 9.50.

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"You are killing the goose that lays the golden egg for you" - Ian Bishop on over bowling Jofra Archer

Ian Bishop. (Image Credits: Getty)

Ian Bishop further said that Jofra Archer's bowling was one thing that could wake him even from a deep sleep, describing that his action is 'poetry in motion'. Lamenting the speedster's mismanagement, the Trinidadian said:

"There was a period when Jofra was overbowled. I sat there watching it, and I'm thinking: what madness is this, that you are going to give this guy over after over. You almost - I'm sorry to use this statement, I don't know how else to say it - you are killing the goose that lays the golden egg for you."

He added:

"It is a good action. I wake up in the morning - and I've said this to ESPNcricinfo before - if I hear Jofra Archer's bowling, I snap out of my sleep, because I love the athleticism of the run-up, the high action, it's poetry in motion. But once he got overbowled and sustained from stress workload, those little injuries, it's always going to be hard no matter how good the action is."

England recently named their 15-man squad to face Ireland in the one-off Test at Lord's.