IPL 2026: Jofra Archer Reveals Surprise Batting Promotion Against MI

IPL 2026: Promotion in batting order was a surprise for Jofra Archer too

Mumbai, May 24

Archer, surprisingly sent to bat at No.7 because Rajasthan wanted to bring in Ravindra Jadeja as an Impact Substitute after using Shubham Dubey, brilliant a vital cameo, scoring 32 runs off 15 balls and helped RR recover from 119/5 to post a challenging total of 205/9.

Archer was more telling with the ball, landing three crucial blows that derailed the Mumbai Indian's chase and consigned them to a 30-run defeat despite a fighting 60 by Suryakumar Yadav and his key partnerships with Will Jacks (33) and Hardik Pandya (34).

Archer gave RR a dream start by sending back Rohit Sharma for a four-ball duck with a fastish delivery that moved away off the length and took an edge behind to keeper Dhruv Jurel in the first over. He then sent back Naman Dhir in his second over, bowling him all ends up.

But his third wicket was more impactful as Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav were threatening to take the match away from RR. After SKY and Will Jacks had rescued MI from 48/3 with a 63-run partnership, Pandya hammered two sixes and three sixes as he smashed 34 off 15 balls. Archer foxed him with a shortish delivery outside off.

Archer said he was advised by the team management not to take pace off his deliveries and let it rip after the first few matches this season. The result is that Archer is going through one of his best seasons in IPL 2026, emerging as the most successful bowler for RR, claiming 21 wickets in 14 matches, with Sunday's effort of 3-17 being his best figures.

However, Archer said this was not his best season in IPL and said he planned to hit the good areas with every delivery, even though his efforts were not always rewarded.

"I don't think this is my best season. Every time I take the ball, I have to hit good areas. Not always rewarded, happy it came on an important day. If you get hit for a boundary off a good ball, it's okay," said Archer after he was named Player of the Match for his all-round efforts on Sunday.

He said the coach told him not to take pace off after the first couple of games, even though that may mean edges will fly to the boundary on a few occasions.

"Coach's instructions: They said no more pace off after the first couple of games. There's more margin for error with pace on. You have to deal with edges from time to time, but it's safer more often," he added.

Archer said he was not expecting to bat early on Sunday and was surprised when chief coach Kumar Sangakkara told him to pad up for a promotion in the batting order.

"I wasn't expecting to bat so early due to the impact sub. Main coach told me to put pads on, and I was surprised at first. I class myself as an all-rounder, but folks call me a bowler. Body good, touchwood," said the England international.

— IANS