England's Jofra Archer reacts during play on the fifth day of the second Ashes cricket Test match between England and Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground in London on August 18, 2019. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. NO ASSOCIATION WITH DIRECT COMPETITOR OF SPONSOR, PARTNER, OR SUPPLIER OF THE ECB (Photo credit should read GLYN KIRK/AFP/Getty Images)
Jofra Archer is on target to make his long-awaited return from injury after being announced in England's touring ODI squad for the three-game series in South Africa.
Archer, 27, has been pinned to the sidelines since March of 2021 after undergoing dual surgeries on an elbow injury and being ruled out of the most recent English summer following stress fractures in his back.
The long layoff came off the back of the Bridgetown-born quick's sterling 2019 Ashes - a series that saw him collect 22 wickets, earning a place as one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year.
Archer's return will bolster an English white-ball unit that is currently residing at its peak, having claimed World Cup honours in 2019 and subsequent T20 honours last month.
Headed by keeper-captain Jos Buttler, a 14-strong squad was named by the English Cricket Board on Thursday to tour the Rainbow nation.
The return of Archer was matched by Ben Duckett's own white-ball reprisal following a wildly successful Test tour of Pakistan, a series in which the Nottinghamshire talent averaged 59.33.
Duckett will be joined by Harry Brook, with the 23-year-old clubbing 468 runs with three hundreds at 93.69 throughout the three Tests in the subcontinent.
Former Test skipper Joe Root will not join the African safari after being green-lit to play five matches in the inaugural ILT20 League in the UAE next month.
Root will line up for the Dubai Capitals after inking a short-term agreement with the Delhi-backed franchise within the week.
The Yorkshireman is expected to return for England's two-Test tour of New Zealand in the new year.
Precocious leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed is tipped not to make the trip to the Shaky Isles, the 18-year-old instead set to earn further first-class experience within Leicestershire's county program.
Seamer Mark Wood is also expected to remain in England, with Matthew Potts looming likely to replace the Durham workhorse.
The opening ODI of the England-South Africa series is scheduled to commence on January 27 in Bloemfontein.
14-MAN ENGLAND SQUAD
Jos Buttler (Lancashire) Captain
Moeen Ali (Warwickshire)
Jofra Archer (Sussex)
Harry Brook (Yorkshire)
Sam Curran (Surrey)
Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
Dawid Malan (Yorkshire)
Adil Rashid (Yorkshire)
Jason Roy (Surrey)
Phil Salt (Lancashire)
Olly Stone (Nottinghamshire)
Reece Topley (Surrey)
David Willey (Northamptonshire)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)