Rajasthan Royals are facing an anxious wait to discover if England star Jofra Archer will be fit for this year’s Indian Premier League.
More doubts have been cast over his involvement by Royals and England teammate Ben Stokes.
Archer was forced to miss England’s ODI series in India after the on-going elbow issue worsened during the recent T20I clashes.
He was already due to miss the start of the tournament but that could now be extended.
When asked on Archer’s injury situation, Stokes said: “We're not sure how much of it he'll be able to play a part, if any.”
“One thing that we need to be very mindful of is that Jofra does need to give this elbow a chance to recover.
“It's great that he's come out and said he's putting his England commitments before everything else.
“It's tough having an injury then getting through a game and then going backward again. I think long-term for his career, this is a very sensible option for him to be taking.”
Iyer Also Injured
Delhi have also been hit with injury following the India and England battles.
Capitals’ captain Shreyas Iyer suffered a partial shoulder dislocation in the 1st ODI last Tuesday.
The injury is set to keep him out of the remaining ODI series and for at least the first half of IPL 2021.
It is the second time in six months that Iyer has suffered shoulder trouble. He also picked up a similar injury in Australia.
After the injury was confirmed by scans, Iyer tweeted: “I've been reading your messages and have been overwhelmed by all the outpouring of love and support.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone. You know what they say, the greater the setback, the stronger the comeback. I shall be back soon.”
The news is a big blow to Delhi following their skipper’s brilliant 2020 campaign. He bagged 519 runs and helped lead the side to the IPL Final against eventual winners Mumbai Indians.
Reports suggest that vice-captain Rishabh Pant will lead the team for this year’s opener against Chennai Super Kings on 10 April.