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| Archer was not initially listed in the IPL auction |
The England fast bowler had appeared on the longlist but was omitted from the final list of 574 players released last week. It was unclear why Archer was initially excluded, but it seems there was confusion surrounding his IPL eligibility. New rules state that any player who has previously featured in the IPL, like Archer, would be banned for two years if they did not enter this auction.
Archer, 29, has faced ongoing injury battles since 2020 but has been carefully managed by England following a setback with his elbow last summer. He has been a regular in England's white-ball squad since May and has expressed his desire to return to Test cricket, despite not having played in the format for almost four years.
Should Archer be picked up by an IPL team, which seems likely due to his status as one of the top pacemen globally, his path back to Test cricket would become more complicated. Archer would need to prove his fitness with Sussex in the County Championship, but the early rounds of the season conflict with the IPL.
If Archer misses domestic red-ball cricket at the start of the summer, it could hinder his chances of returning to England's Test squad for a home series in 2025 and potentially affect his participation in next winter's Ashes in Australia.
All of England's centrally contracted players are allowed to enter the auction. Archer will join 37 other English players, including white-ball captain Jos Buttler and 42-year-old James Anderson. Anderson, England's all-time leading wicket-taker, has never participated in an overseas franchise league. Test captain Ben Stokes, fast bowler Mark Wood, and batter Joe Root will not be part of the auction.
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