Jofra Archer has been described as the 'most gifted bowler' Ben Stokes has ever seen, ahead of his anticipated debut England call-up.
He might not be a household name for every fan yet, but Barbados-born bowler Archer has been impressing in India, taking seven wickets in seven matches for the Rajasthan Royals this year.
Stokes didn’t hold back in his praise for the right-arm pace bowler during an appearance on The Doosra podcast.
“Jofra makes any team better," he said, per The Metro.
“He is the most naturally gifted bowler I've seen, and I don’t think he realises how good he is.
“Some of the things he can do at the click of a finger are just ‘wow’ – it’s pretty special to watch. You ask him to do something and he nails it straight away."
Archer, who plays county cricket for Sussex, wasn’t initially eligible to play for England until 2022.
However, the ECB relaxed residency rules last November, reducing the residency period from seven to three years, which has meant he can now play for England immediately.
Archer has only played 14 one-day matches in his career, and just 28 first-class matches, but he is expected to be thrown straight into the England set-up.
When asked about those England prospects, Stokes added: “It’s a tough question…
“To have somebody at the pace he bowls and the skills he has, the selectors are going to be scratching their heads and it’s a great time to be an England fan and England player.
“It’s a great position to be in as an England team when you’ve got a player the skill level Jofra’s got.”
Archer is expected to make his national-team debut against Pakistan in May, ahead of the World Cup in England this summer.
Eoin Morgan's side are already the favourites for the tournament, and with more quality players coming through, their chances of lifting the World Cup on home soil will only improve.