Exclusive: Jofra Archer is our biggest asset, he will be in the reckoning for World Cup if he keeps performing – Jason Roy

Jason Roy, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, and Alex Hales are examples of modern England batters that adhere to the maxim “see the ball, hit the ball.” Jason Roy, who was left off of the T20 World Cup roster, is eager to establish himself in the upcoming ODI championship, which will take place in India later in the year.

And, with such stratagem—England is not far from their plans of eyeing to bring yet another World Cup home.

Roy recently scored a majestic knock of 113 runs in the first ODI against South Africa and he will be looking to continue the good show for Three Lions.

Along with Roy, another England player who will be looking to make the cut into the World Cup squad— is Jofra Archer, who spent almost two years on the sidelines due to an elbow injury.

Jofra Chioke Archer has announced his return in the ongoing SA20 for Paarl Royals in style, taking 10 wickets in six matches in the league so far.

Furthermore, the lanky pacer recently took seven wickets in two matches against the Proteas, including a six-wicket haul in the third game.

Archer’s fairytale rise has made him a big sensation. He intends to conquer the cricketing world despite his early career being marred by injuries.

In an exclusive interview with Dafanews, Roy revealed that Jofra Archer is their biggest asset and he is definitely going to be in the reckoning for the World Cup.

Here are the excerpts from the interview:

What’s the conversation like when you bat with someone like Jos Buttler—you both have batted together for a while now.

We don’t talk about much, to be honest. We go out there with confidence, and we know what needs to be done. We prepare a lot before the game starts, and when we walk out to bat, we know what’s ahead of us. We go out there, and try to assess the conditions as soon as possible. We look to capitalise on the new ball, but sometimes the conditions are not easy, so we try to give it some time. We just try to have a bit of fun in the middle.

 

You’ve played under Eoin Morgan, Jos Buttler, and David Miller; can you tell us one quality about each?

I will start with Morgan. He is a man-manager, gets along with the guys, and makes sure everyone is happy. Looks after the camp, and that is a huge contributing factor to a lot of people’s happiness.

I have played under Jos for over a year now. Very similar, to the point, get your training done, work hard, and have fun along the way. And Dave is very relaxed; he just enjoys his cricket, enjoys his life, and is a social butterfly. Everyone respects him for the way he plays the game.

 

How impressed are you with Jofra’s return? Is he the same after his injury? Will he be in the reckoning for the World Cup squad?

Jofra is definitely one of our biggest assets; there is no doubt about that. He has different gears in his game. That game against South Africa, where he got a six-wicket haul, is the best I have seen him bowl, and I have seen him do a lot of pretty good things on the field.

For him to have so much time out of the game, to go through as much as he has gone through, and then come back the way he has done, has been incredible. He has worked really hard physically, but the mental part takes a toll. If he keeps performing the way he has, there is no doubt about his place in the World Cup squad.

We also caught up with Wihan Lubbe, who is playing for Paarl Royals in the ongoing SA20. Lubbe has played two T20Is for South Africa, and he is looking to make his mark. The left-hander has scored 168 runs in nine matches for the Royals in the inaugural season of the tournament.

Lubbe, 30, shared his experience of playing along with the likes of Jos Buttler, Eoin Morgan, and Jason Roy. The Pretoria-born also showered praise on David Miller’s captaincy.

 

How is it to bat alongside Jos Buttler and Jason Roy? And what have you learned from both of them?

We, as cricketers, have admired the way these two play the game. The biggest thing is how calm they remain, irrespective of what the situation is. That’s definitely the most important thing I’ve learned so far, and obviously, batting with Jason, it’s great to see someone who hits the ball as fast as he does. So yes, it’s been a nice experience, and I have definitely enjoyed it.

Which South African players have really made it count at the SA20?

I will stay away from big players, we all know their capabilities. In our team, not many people knew of Evan Jones (12 wickets in eight matches) before the tournament, but he has certainly impressed. A young guy like Matthew Breetske (125 runs in four innings) has impressed as well. I think Bjorn Fortuin (13 wickets in nine matches) has done a fine job for us. A lot of people know what he is capable of, so yes, these couple of guys have enhanced their reputation.

 

How do you rate Miller, the skipper? How is the atmosphere in the dressing room with so many high-profile names?

I think the biggest thing I have taken away from David’s leadership is that he still serves those around him. He is not someone who has a big ego, although he has the right to have a little bit of it. That, for me, stands out because it levels the playing field for anyone coming into the mix.

We have got guys like Morgan, Jos, and Jason, who are as humble as they are, and it kind of sets the tone for the right environment. The whole environment around the team has been amazing, and everyone has brought in it. And our coach, JP Duminy has also contributed, and it’s been refreshing.