Mumbai Indians (MI) have made a huge signing on day 2 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction by picking up Jofra Archer for Rs. 8 Crore. Archer is unlikely to be available for the upcoming season but the five-time champions have still picked him up. MI will not be allowed to pick a replacement for him according to rules set by the league’s governing council before the auction. 

MI and Archer’s former club, Rajasthan Royals (RR), engaged in a heated bidding war to sign the express pacer. RR had to pull out after a bid of Rs. 6.25 Cr. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) joined the bidding but MI’s desire to get him proved too strong. 

Archer has not played any competitive cricket since England’s tour to India in March 2021. He missed the entire IPL 2021, the 2021 T20 World Cup, and the Ashes. 

Archer has played in the IPL since 2018 and made a very strong impression while representing RR. In his three seasons in the league, Archer has a phenomenal record of 46 wickets in 35 games at an average of 21.32 and an economy of 7.13. He also had plenty of impressive cameos with the bat. 

The right-arm played a key role in helping England win the 2019 Cricket World Cup just a couple of months after making his international debut. In fact, he bowled the memorable super-over in the final against New Zealand at Lords. 

Over the last year, an injury has kept Archer out of action. He has undergone two surgeries on his elbow and is expected to return to cricketing action in June. There is little to no chance of him featuring in the 2022 edition of the IPL. 

Mumbai have taken a big punt on him but it is a strategy that could do wonders for them in the long term despite the short-term pain it brings.