Tymal Mills feels for Jofra Archer after suffering similar woes ahead of T20 summer

England faced another setback earlier this month as Jofra Archer has been ruled out for the rest of the English summer after suffering a stress fracture in his lower back. The England and Sussex seamer has had quite a troublesome year with injuries as his last appearance for the national side came in March 2021 in the T20I series against India. His compatriot, Tymal Mills sympathizes with the speedster’s injury woes.

Mills, who has endured several injuries himself, is hoping that he stays fit for the T20 World Cup later this year. The Englishman does not offer the same control as Archer but, like the Barbados-born speedster, Mills is rapid and has got a deceptive slower ball in his armory as well.

“I’m feeling good, but I’ve been there with those injuries. It is no fun sitting out with a stress fracture and I feel for Jofra big time. I’d love to be out there bowling with him for Sussex or England, but that will have to wait. He will come back, I’m sure, as I did, but it will just take some time,” Mills was quoted as saying by The Mirror.

“I’m 29 now and my body has been through it, but actually over the last 12 months, I’ve played a lot of cricket. The most I’ve managed, and that has been down to some great support. The guys at the Perth Scorchers and Mumbai Indians really helped look after I and Sussex have always been brilliant, so it is about communicating and listening to the body,” Mills added.

Tymal Mills’s fitness will be vital for the England team

Mills has been quite influential for the sides he has played for in the last 12 months. He won the inaugural Hundred trophy with the Southern Brave and helped Perth Scorchers in their Big Bash title win as well. He, however, didn’t have the best of time in IPL 2022 as leaked runs at an alarming rate for the five-time champs, Mumbai Indians. The Sussex man prepares to take on Glamorgan on Thursday and will hope to have a better outing than he did in the IPL.

The Dewsbury-born pacer will be keen to make amends after missing out on last year’s T20 World Cup semi-finals due to injury. The England camp will be monitoring his fitness as he embarks on a busy summer. Mills could be their ace in the absence of Archer in the T20 World Cup.