Injury blow for England as Jofra Archer misses remaining Ashes matches

England suffered a major setback in their Ashes campaign on Wednesday as pace spearhead Jofra Archer was ruled out of the final two Tests against Australia with a left side strain, dealing another blow to a side already outplayed in the series.

Archer, 30, will miss the fourth Test starting Friday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground and the fifth Test in Sydney from January 4. Australia, holding a commanding 3-0 lead, have already retained the Ashes, leaving England to regroup for pride in the remaining matches.

An England team spokesperson confirmed Archer’s unavailability after the fast bowler turned up for training at the MCG but did not take part in any bowling drills. He later underwent assessment, following which the management decided not to risk him for the remainder of the tour.

The injury is another interruption in Archer’s career, which has been marred by fitness troubles over the past four years, including stress fractures in his back and a long-standing elbow issue. However, his return to red-ball cricket this year had been one of the few positives for England in the series.

Archer featured in the Tests at Perth, Brisbane and Adelaide, bowling 80 overs, picking up nine wickets at an average of 27.11, and registering the best strike rate among England bowlers. His standout performance came in the third Test at Adelaide, where he claimed five for 53 in the first innings and also contributed a fighting 51 with the bat.

With Archer sidelined, Gus Atkinson has been drafted into the XI for the Melbourne Test. England have also made a change in the batting order, with Jacob Bethell replacing Ollie Pope at No. 3. Pope has struggled throughout the series, averaging just 20.83.

Despite being under scrutiny following reports of an off-field incident, Ben Duckett has retained his place, even as his returns with the bat have been modest, averaging 16 so far.

England XI (Melbourne Test): Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith, Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue.