Jofra Archer is back in England’s Test XI. (Also Read: Ben Stokes Suggests Batting First at Lord’s as England Rethinks Toss Strategy)
The fast bowler, sidelined for more than four years with elbow and back injuries, will play in the third Test against India starting Thursday at Lord’s. He replaces Josh Tongue in the only change to the side that lost by 336 runs last week in Birmingham.
It marks an important comeback for Archer, who hasn’t played red-ball cricket since 2021. Persistent injuries have kept him limited to the shorter formats since then. He bowled 18 overs for Sussex in a recent first-class match and spent last week training with the national squad at Edgbaston.
Now, he’ll return to the ground where it all started. Archer made his Test debut at Lord’s in 2019. Back then, England needed something different to counter Steven Smith. This time, the target is Shubman Gill, who scored a dominant 430-run match at Edgbaston.
Archer’s inclusion comes at a time when England’s bowling unit has been under pressure. Josh Tongue, despite leading the series with 11 wickets, has gone at more than four-and-a-half runs per over and carried a heavy load.
Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse remain in the squad, though both have bowled over 75 overs in the first two Tests. Carse had a brief injury scare with his toe at Edgbaston but kept his spot. England captain Ben Stokes said the issue came down to ill-fitting footwear rather than a physical problem.
England’s bowling stocks are getting a major shake-up, with Jofra Archer set to return as Gus Atkinson continues to recover from a hamstring injury.
Archer, whose incredible 2019 Ashes performance was followed by a brutal workload and a long, difficult rehabilitation, has been handled with kid gloves this time. Management opted to ease him back into the squad rather than rush him.
Now, according to head coach Brendon McCullum, the wait is over and he’s “ready to go.” Atkinson, meanwhile, will target a domestic return with Surrey, eyeing a possible comeback for the fourth Test.
Still, the pitch could be a factor. While England requested a lively surface at Lord’s, recent Tests have seen the wicket start slow and improve for batting as the match progresses.
Mark Wood, another pace option, also trained with the team on Wednesday. He’s working toward a return for the final Test, but that may be a stretch. Longer term, England will be hoping both Wood and Archer can stay fit for the Ashes in Australia this winter.
England XI for Lord’s:
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir.
The match begins Thursday, with England trailing 2–0 in the five-Test series.
