'This guy is going to be great' - Dale Steyn reveals his initial reaction after watching Jofra Archer bowl just two balls

Jofra Archer’s first year in International cricket has seen him go through plenty of highs and an equal number of lows. From being hailed as the next big thing in world cricket to getting accused of not giving his 100 percent on the field in Test cricket, Archer has come a full circle.

The English fast bowling spearhead is currently out of action after he suffered an elbow injury in the first Test of the four-match series against South Africa. Post the scans, Archer was ruled out of competitive cricket for the next three months that will see him miss the Sri Lankan Test series and the IPL.

Archer is a special talent. And, sometimes it just takes a glimpse of players like him to come to the conclusion that the guy is outrageously talented. That is exactly what happened with Dale Steyn when it took just two balls from Archer for him to decide that the Barbados-born is a special talent.

“He is phenomenal, he is great,” Steyn said. “Fast bowling is not an easy thing to do. He makes it look so easy. A couple of years ago [former Sussex coach Mark] Davis told me that I had to watch this guy because he is amazing. I saw him bowl two balls in the county circuit and I said: “this guy is going to be great”. World Cup winner already – the rest is history,” Dale Steyn was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo.

Archer’s career is currently halted by injury

Archer’s career has been currently halted by injury and questions have galore on the English management’s inability to handle him properly. But Steyn feels that Archer is still learning and he urged the English management to work out a way to keep him in the park.

“It’s a pity about his elbow; that’s fast bowling, you will get an injury every now and then. He is still learning and has to bowl enough to get his body strong. But the most important thing is people want to see him in the park”

He added, “You have to keep him on the park and they have to work out how to do that. Everyone is different and they have to work out something for him. He is fresh and new into the system and it will take the odd injury to work it out but they will get there.”