Jofra Archer has been ruled out of England’s T20 series against South Africa next month and faces a battle to prove his fitness for the Test tour of Sri Lanka.

Archer struggled with soreness to his right elbow throughout the Test series in South Africa. He played the first Test at Centurion taking one for 65 and five for 102 as England lost by 107 runs. But his pace was inconsistent and he was visibly struggling with his bowling arm.

He subsequently missed the next three Tests, though came close to selection for the final match at The Wanderers. Having bowled close to full pace in the nets leading up to the fixture, Archer, who has 30 wickets in seven Tests at an average of 27.40, pulled up in the warm-ups on the morning of day one. Chris Woakes then took his spot, replacing spinner Dom Bess, and England went on to win by 191 runs and take the series 3-1.

Archer returned to the UK on Tuesday evening – he was already rested from the ODI squad, who begin their series on 4 February in Cape Town – to continue his progress towards getting fit for two Tests against Sri Lanka, the first of which begins on 19 March.

His extra pace will be much-needed on pitches that offer very little for seamers. In Joe Root’s post-match press conference on Monday, the England captain lauded the pace both Archer and Mark Wood could bring to some docile surfaces.

England are likely to travel without Stuart Broad and James Anderson, the latter recovering from a rib injury sustained during the second Test, which makes Archer’s presence all the more necessary.

Lancashire seamer Saqib Mahmood replaces the 24-year old in the squad. He is already part of the ODI squad and will remain in the country for the three-match T20i series which begins on 12 February.

Mahmood made his T20i debut over the summer, playing three of five T20s against New Zealand and taking three wickets, albeit going at an economy rate of 11.50.