Rise of Jofra Archer a threat to Plunkett, Wiley and Tom Curran, feels Nasser Hussain

Teams have started announcing their squads for the ICC World Cup 2019 but hosts England are still caught up with certain things. The Brits are busy dealing with the eligibility of the Barbados-born talented bowling all-rounder Jofra Archer though his selection could put the prospects of the likes of Liam Plunkett, David Willey and Tom Curran at the risk of missing the big event, feels former captain Nasser Hussain.

The 24-year-old fast bowler who has 131 wickets in 28 first-class games, has been earmarked to be picked in England’s ODI squad after he impressed in T20 franchise tournaments in England, Australia and India. Hussain believes Archer, who is currently playing for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, could make the cut. Archer has taken seven wickets in seven games in the IPL so far and has scored 39 runs in three innings at a strike rate of over 150. Last year, Archer took 15 wickets from 10 matches in his debut IPL season.

England still have an international series to play before they go into the World Cup, which is starting from May 30. Hussain has backed the bowler to feature in the side in the upcoming series against Pakistan at home.

‘Archer a very special talent’

“Usually before a World Cup England are trying to work out which players to pick, for once they are almost scratching their heads about which players to leave out,” Hussain was quoted as saying on Sky Sports News. “This lad (Archer) is a very special talent. He has mainly done it in Twenty20 but he has been around franchise cricket and he is definitely a three-dimensional cricketer.” Archer has picked 112 wickets in 88 T20 games so far.

Hussain, who led England in the 2003 World Cup, hoped that the English side will pick the player and also want to play him against Pakistan. He also felt that the emergence of the talented bowler will put the trio of Plunkett, Willey and Curran under threat.

“The guys who would be concerned are maybe Willey, who hasn’t played too much recently but gives you a left-arm option; Plunkett, whose stats in the last five ODIs haven’t been great but who, before that, has been exceptional in the middle overs; and Curran,” he said.

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