England’s tumultuous tour of Australia has been struck by another significant setback, with star fast bowler Jofra Archer ruled out of the remainder of the Ashes 2025-26 series.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed on Wednesday, December 24, that Archer has sustained a left side strain, ending his Ashes tour immediately.
Jofra Archer Ruled Out of Ashes 2025-26; England Playing XI for Boxing Day Test Announced
England has already lost the Ashes 2025-26 to Australia after losing the first three Tests and now Archer’s injury has added to their already deepened woes Down Under.
Reacting to the situation, England has named the pacer Gus Atkinson as Archer’s replacement for the Boxing Day Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne.
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ECB Confirms Jofra Archer’s Tour-Ending Injury
The ECB’s official statement confirmed the worst fears of England fans on the Australia tour: The board stated: “Fast bowler Jofra Archer has been ruled out for the remainder of the tour with a left side strain. Surrey seamer Gus Atkinson returns after missing the third Test.”
This latest injury adds to Archer’s long and frustrating history of fitness issues, and it was a crucial blow to England’s pace attack for the final two Tests in Melbourne and Sydney.
There is also a major change in the batting line-up, with Jacob Bethell drafted in at number three for the fourth Ashes Test after Ollie Pope was dropped following the disappointing performances in the ongoing five-match Test series against Australia.
The ECB said in an official statement, “Surrey batter Ollie Pope misses out. Warwickshire’s Jacob Bethell comes into the side and will bat at number three.”
England’s Boxing Day Test XI: Two Changes Confirmed
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue
How Jofra Archer’s injury changes England’s strategy
Jofra Archer’s absence affects the team balance. England may need extra support from all-rounders and lean heavily on Gus Atkinson and Josh Tongue.
Across the first three Tests at Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide, Jofra has bowled 80 overs, picking up nine wickets at an average of 27.11. His standout moment came in the third Test at Adelaide, where he took five wickets for 53 runs in the first innings and also hit an impressive fifty.
The Ashes 2025-26 Story So Far
The Ashes kicked off at Perth Stadium, where Australia made a strong start with an eight-wicket win over England. The second Test at the Gabba followed a similar script, with the hosts sealing an eight-wicket victory over Ben Stokes and his team.
In the third Test at Adelaide Oval, Australia retained the Ashes Urn with an 82-run win over the touring side. Now, the fourth Test will be played at the MCG from December 26 to 30, before the five-match Test series wraps up at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in Sydney with the final game scheduled from January 4 to 8.
