LONDON (Kashmir English): England has confirmed that Jofra Archer will return to the playing XI for the third Test match against India at Lord’s, marking a significant moment in his career. This will be Archer’s first Test appearance since February 2021, as he steps back onto the field after a lengthy battle with elbow and back injuries.
Archer will make his return to red-ball cricket on Thursday at the iconic Lord’s, the very ground where he made his Test debut back in 2019.
His comeback follows an extended spell on the sidelines due to recurring elbow and back injuries, which had restricted him to white-ball formats in recent years.
However, he recently returned to first-class cricket, bowling 18 overs for Sussex last month, and has now been deemed fit to lead England’s pace attack at Lord’s.
His inclusion comes as England look to bounce back from a heavy 336-run defeat in the second Test at Edgbaston.
Jofra Archer will earn his 14th Test cap in this much-anticipated match, which could play a key role in turning the series around for the hosts.
Interestingly, Jofra Archer’s return mirrors the circumstances of his 2019 debut when England brought him in after Australia’s Steve Smith dominated with twin hundreds in the opening Ashes Test.
Now, he’s been handed the task of unsettling India’s in-form captain Shubman Gill, who stunned England with scores of 269 and 161 at Edgbaston.
Despite a heavy workload in the first two Tests, Brydon Carse and Chris Woakes retain their places. Carse bowled 77 overs across the two matches and appeared to be dealing with a toe issue during the second Test.
It’s worth noting that Jofra Archer has featured in 13 Tests for England between 2019 and 2021, picking up 42 wickets at an average of 31.04. His most prolific run came in the 2019 Ashes, where he claimed 20 wickets at 20.27.
Archer’s last Test at Lord’s was during his sensational Ashes debut in 2019, where he made headlines for his fiery spells and memorable duel with Steve Smith. Now, after years of rehabilitation and limited appearances in shorter formats, Jofra Archer is ready to make his Test comeback in familiar conditions.
With the series currently hanging in the balance, his inclusion comes at a crucial time. England will be hoping that Archer’s presence will strengthen the bowling attack and add a new dimension of pace and hostility to challenge the Indian batting line-up.
