Cricket World Cup 2023: Jofra Archer will not be called up by England if Reece Topley ruled out

Jofra Archer will not be able to join England’s World Cup squad if Reece Topley is ruled out of the tournament by injury, says coach Matthew Mott.

Fellow seamer Archer, 28, travelled to India this week to continue his rehabilitation from an elbow injury but is now set to travel home.

“Jofra is not going to be considered for selection,” Mott told Sky Sports.

“He’s come out and he’s reported to the medical staff, but he’s not going to be able to play a part in the end of this campaign.”

Injuries have limited Archer’s cricket career since his starring role in England’s World Cup victory on home soil in 2019.

He made his international return against South Africa in February after 22 months on the sidelines with elbow and back injuries, only to be ruled out for the summer in May with a recurrence of the stress fracture in his right elbow.

Archer was not considered fit enough for a place in the 15-man World Cup squad, but trained with England last month. He took part in his first training session in India on Thursday.

England will have to fly out a replacement for Topley if needed.

On Topley’s injury, Mott added: “We’re still waiting on that but it’s very much looking like it’s a crack.

“Certainly that’s the early diagnosis but we’ll find out properly with X-rays.”

Left-armer Topley went off in his seventh over after taking a blow to his bowling hand while fielding a drive off his own delivery.

He returned with strapping on his left hand and bowled five more overs but was expensive in conceding 88 runs for his three wickets.

Similarly to Archer, Topley’s England career has been hampered cruelly by injuries.

Topley made his international debut in 2015 only to suffer four stress fractures in his back in the space of five years.

After forcing his way back into the set-up, he was ruled out of last year’s T20 World Cup after tripping over a boundary sponge and subsequently dislocated his shoulder upon his return to action in the Indian Premier League.

England opted for a pace-heavy bowling attack in their defeat by South Africa but the quartet of David Willey, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson and Topley were largely unthreatening as the Proteas pummelled 399-7 in 50 overs.

Chris Woakes and Sam Curran are the other seam bowling options in the squad, though both have struggled in England’s campaign so far that has seen them win just one game in four.