IPL 2021: It Was Tough Not To Go To The IPL - Jofra Archer Feels Responsible For Rajasthan Royals Disappointing Season

Jofra Archer, the Rajasthan Royals fast bowler, feels partly responsible for his side’s underwhelming season so far in the IPL 2021 as he has been ruled out of the entire tournament owing to his finger surgery.

The Royals, led by a new skipper Sanju Samson, are languishing at the 7th position on the points table with 2 wins in 5 matches, as they miss their two key overseas stars – after losing the services of Jofra Archer, RR are also without all-rounder Ben Stokes, who has been ruled out due to a finger injury which he sustained in Royals’ opening game.

Jofra Archer, who was the MVP of IPL 2020 despite his side finishing at the bottom, says that it was tough for him to miss out on the IPL and “feel a responsibility for where the season has gone so far” as he expressed his loyalty toward the Royals.

“It was tough not to go to the Indian Premier League. It had always been my intention to do so and watching from home, seeing Rajasthan down the bottom of the table, knowing that the results are partly my fault, has been hard,” Jofra Archer wrote in his column for The Daily Mail.

“Getting the combinations right in a team is a huge part of Twenty20 cricket and I would have been part of those best XI combinations, along with Ben Stokes.

“I am not saying that I would have helped Rajasthan win the tournament, but I do feel a responsibility for where the season has gone so far. When you have been at a team for a long time and they make you feel comfortable, as the Royals have, it is natural to develop a loyalty and I so wanted to be out there giving my best,” he added.

The one stumbling block was the mandatory eight-day quarantine: Jofra Archer

While he on the path to recovery having returned to bowling in nets, and also stand a chance to return in the home Test series against New Zealand which starts on June 2nd.

However, Jofra Archer could have also been a part of the IPL at least by the end of the season, if not in the middle – but couldn’t return owing to the mandatory quarantine which would have hindered his rehab process. Hence he was not considered for a late addition to the Royals’ side.

“The Covid situation in India didn’t deter me because I felt I would be safe within the IPL biosecure bubble. The one stumbling block was the mandatory eight-day quarantine upon arrival that would have put me back in my rehab programme.

“When it came to fitness and returning to bowling, I didn’t have the luxury of taking days off, so effectively the decision was made for me,” the 26-year-old speedster explained.

Also Read: Pat Cummins Believes Ending IPL 2021 Is Not A Solution For Rising COVID-19 Cases In India