Archer also established himself in the Test side during drawn Ashes series

Sir Garfield Sobers permits himself a little smile as he considers the merits of his fellow Barbadian embarking on a very different path towards cricketing greatness.

The best and most exciting all-rounder of them all knows a special talent when he sees one and believes Jofra Archer will go on to join the many legends who have emerged from his extraordinary cricketing island.

His only nagging regret is that Archer will do it in the colours of his father's country England rather than a West Indies side crying out for the kind of superstar they used to produce on a regular basis. None better than Sir Garry.

Fast bowler Jofra Archer has established himself as a key player for England in all formats

'We have lost a good one, there's no doubt about that,' said Sobers on Monday during his annual trip to London for the World Travel Market to promote tourism on the home island he cares so much about.

'Jofra is an amazing bowler. For him to jump to where he is in the England team already is tremendous. I believe there was an argument as to whether they should play him in the World Cup but eventually they got over that and they must be very happy they did because he has been great for them.

'And it looks like he can bat too. I think he can go from strength to strength.'

West Indies legend Sir Garfield Sobers believes his country should have kept Archer

Clearly though, Sobers, still as passionate about both Barbados and Caribbean cricket as ever at 83, just wishes Archer could have gone from strength to strength in the maroon of West Indies rather than the blue of England.

'The West Indies must be very sad when they see what he has done because we don't seem to have given him the opportunities we should have done,' said Sobers.

'He started in Barbados and wanted to get in the West Indies team but he didn't get the chance to do that so he went to the best place he could.

'I'm sure England had some doubts at the beginning but they must be very glad they took him because he does look world class already. He can only get better. I look forward to when he plays against West Indies in a Test series and I think he will enjoy that. Good luck to him.'

Archer was integral to helping England lift the World Cup by beating New Zealand in the final

The man who was good and daring enough to hit the late Malcolm Nash for six sixes in an over at Swansea 51 years ago, as well as being equally proficient in left-arm pace and spin and in the field, then played a rare defensive shot when he urged caution about getting carried away too quickly by Archer's World Cup-winning start with England.

'It's difficult to say for certain that he will go on to stand comparison with the greats after only one or two series and I'd like to see him carrying on like this for another two or three years before I make a judgment like that,' said Sobers.

'We will have to see who he comes up against and how he does but he certainly has the ability.'

Opening batsman Desmond Haynes is also fully convinced of Archer's ability to go to the top

Sobers' words were echoed by a Barbadian legend of a different era in former opening batsman Desmond Haynes, who joined him at London's Excel exhibition centre.

'Jofra has made a decision to play for England and he obviously felt he didn't get the opportunities in Barbados but we all just wish him well,' said Haynes.

'We all expect him to become one of the best if not the best bowler in the world and there's no hard feelings nor animosity.

'When you look back we've had Roland Butcher, Gladstone Small and Ricky Ellcock play for England and they're all Barbadians too. We just wished them all well.

'Jofra is one of those bowlers who doesn't seem to need to put the effort in.

'It's like he's holding something back but can still bowl 90 miles per hour. So it makes me wonder how fast he can get.

'He makes it look so easy. He's a rhythm bowler so when he gets it right I believe he could bowl at 100 miles per hour one day.'

And when that happens it will clearly be greeted with a huge sense of pride throughout the island Archer left behind.