Jofra Archer misses England’s opening ODI vs. New Zealand to manage workload ahead of the 2025-26 Ashes.

Jofra Archer will miss England’s first One Day International against New Zealand on October 26 as part of a workload management strategy to prepare him for the 2025-26 Ashes series. The right-arm seamer, not injured, is expected to join the squad on Thursday alongside pacemen Mark Wood and Josh Tongue for conditioning ahead of the first Ashes Test in Perth on November 21. The five-Test series will also be played at Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Sydney, concluding on January 8. England’s decision reflects a focus on long-term player fitness, particularly after Archer’s history of elbow injuries and past struggles during international tours.