Jofra Archer and Mark Wood ruled out of first Ashes Test due to injury

There was always going to be a price to pay for winning the World Cup and the debt for England is injuries to Jofra Archer and Mark Wood with both out for the start of the Ashes.

On Wednesday, England announced their squad for the Test against Ireland next week and confirmed Wood and Archer are undergoing treatment for side strains.

Wood has been diagnosed with a side injury that will take four to six weeks to heal. Archer also has a left side strain and has been given permission to visit family in Barbados for a week to recover mentally and physically from his World Cup heroics. Privately, England do not expect him to be fit until at least the second Australia Test at Lord’s, starting on Aug 14.

Wood put his body on the line in the final bowling ten overs at pace in excess of 90mph, often flinging himself to the ground in the effort of maintaining his speed. He was in obvious pain after bowling and was not on the field for the rest of the New Zealand innings or during the Super Over.

Archer sustained his side injury in the lead up to the group game with Australia at Lord’s and only got through the World Cup thanks to the help of a painkilling injection. England would have relished pairing Wood and Archer against Australia but now it looks unlikely that will happen before the fourth Ashes Test.

The positive dividend from the World Cup win is a super-confident Jason Roy making his Test debut next week against Ireland, opening the batting with Surrey colleague Rory Burns.

Roy batted at three for Surrey towards the end of last season and has spent most of his first class career further down the order away from the new ball. He has played only played three first-class matches in 20 months but Ed Smith, the national selector, likened picking him to picking Jos Buttler last year on the basis of form in the IPL. The manner in which Roy handled the pressure of a World Cup, as well as a lack of strong alternatives, assured him of a Test call up.

“It’s no great secret the selectors have long been admirers of Jason. The big question with Jason Roy was when was the ideal time if he was going to make the move into Test cricket?” said Smith. “Joe Root and I spoke at length months ago about the scenario in which Jason Roy finished the World Cup confident, full of runs and went straight into the Ashes and that’s what we’ve done. It feels like a really good time for Jason to join the Test team as an opener.

“We’ve all seen him grow and improve as a player in white-ball cricket. He’s a more complete player than he ever has been. There’s never been any doubt about his talent, audacity or his presence at the crease – it’s fantastic. All those things are very clear. He’s also gained improved mastery and adaptability. I think he’s a more complete player now than he ever has been.”

Smith confirmed Roy will open with Rory Burns at Lord’s. Joe Denly keeps his place at No 3 after showing form for Kent in Division One. Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes have been rested for the Ireland Test but will join a training camp at the FA’s national academy where England will strategise for the Ashes.

Lewis Gregory, the Somerset allrounder, is called up for the Ireland Test along with Warwickshire fast bowler Olly Stone who toured Sri Lanka last year before sustaining a back injury. Stone can match Archer and Wood for pace and is likely to play against Ireland. James Anderson was picked in the Ireland squad but is carrying a calf strain and it is unclear if he will be fit for that match. Chris Woakes will bat at eight against Ireland but bowl a set number of overs to manage his workload before the Ashes series.

England did consider resting Jonny Bairstow but he will revert to keeping wicket against Ireland and bat at five in place of Buttler. Sam Curran, who lost his Test place, in the West Indies will play at Lord’s next week. Jack Leach is in the Ireland squad in case England think the pitch requires two spinners.

“With James Anderson, there are three options. He is making very good progress on his calf injury – if he is good to go, he will play in the Ireland Test,” said Smith. “If he is deemed too big a risk, he will not play against Ireland, or the third scenario is that he sends down a certain amount of overs to make sure he gets just the right amount of work before the Ashes.