England star fast bowler, Jofra Archer, is making his much-anticipated return to Rajasthan Royals after being acquired for ₹12.50 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction. Archer, who was part of the Royals from 2018 to 2021, was picked up by Mumbai Indians in the 2022 auction but struggled with injuries and limited appearances in 2023. He was also sidelined for IPL 2024 as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) managed his workload.
Now, Archer is set to lead the Rajasthan Royals pace attack, which, although not the most formidable on paper, is sure to benefit from his explosive abilities. Royals CEO Jake Lush expressed his excitement about bringing Archer back into the fold. We’re delighted. We were really happy to have him back in the set-up, Lush McCrum shared with BBC World Service Stumped podcast. I spoke to him quickly afterwards, and he delighted, we’re delighted. That explosive capability is unique. It great to pick him up.
Archer’s career has been plagued by injury setbacks, including a long-standing elbow issue. Despite knowing he would not play in the 2022 season, Mumbai Indians selected him, and he made just four appearances in 2023 before pulling out due to the recurrence of his injury. With the ECB managing his workload, he was not part of IPL 2024. However, with continuous medical support, Archer is now in a much-improved physical condition.
Lush McCrum noted, He’s gone through a challenging few years, but he’s well looked after now. The England physio Craig is actually our physio in the IPL as well, so there’s that continuity of management, which is really important. He also assured that Archer is in a good place, with the franchise dedicated to ensuring his health remains a priority.
In 2024, Archer has been busy playing 20 games for England across the white-ball formats and was part of their squad for the T20 World Cup, where he featured in all eight matches. As he prepares for his return to IPL action, Rajasthan Royals fans will be hopeful that Archer can recapture his best form and make a significant impact in the upcoming season.