Huge blow! Jofra Archer ruled out of 2022 English summer after suffering back stress fracture

England fast bowler Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the 2022 English summer due to a stress fracture to the lower back. The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed on Thursday that he had been ruled out for the rest of the season after being diagnosed with a back problem, meaning he will not be available to play until the end of September at the earliest.

The ECB said in a statement that no timeframe had been set for his return. "No timeframe has been set for his return. A management plan will be determined following further specialist opinion over the coming days," the ECB said. Archer, who last played for England in March 2021, had expected to make his comeback from a long-term elbow injury for Sussex in the T20 Blast next week and had scheduled to play warm-up matches before their opening fixture against Glamorgan.

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Archer hasn`t played international cricket since March 2021 or any competitive cricket since May of the same year, when he underwent the first of two elbow operations.