Jofra Archer will make his long-awaited return to Test cricket at Lord’s this week, after more than four years of injury-induced exile.
Archer was included in the England side named on Wednesday for the third Test against India, returning in place of fellow fast bowler Josh Tongue in the only change to the team that suffered a 336-run thrashing by India at Edgbaston as the tourists levelled a five-match series at 1-1.
Lord’s holds happy memories for the 30-year-old Archer, who bowled the World Cup-winning Super Over there in 2019 before returning later that season to make a stunning Test debut against Australia.
He floored Australia star batsman Steve Smith with a 148km/h bouncer that led to Marnus Labuschagne becoming Test cricket’s first concussion substitute.
Archer has played just one County Championship match for Sussex this season, in which he bowled 18 overs and took one wicket.
But a week of training with the England squad in Birmingham has convinced team management he is now ready to add to his 13 Test caps in the match starting on Thursday.
“Really exciting. I think it’s great for English fans but also for Jof,” England captain Ben Stokes, speaking at a pre-match press conference at Lord’s, said Wednesday. “It’s been a long time coming for him … Jof can be pretty proud of himself that he’s managed to get himself back here after two pretty big injury scares.”
England will hope he can give their faltering attack a much-needed cutting edge.
Tongue drops out despite being the top wicket-taker in the series with 11, but fellow pacemen Brydon Carse and Chris Woakes keep their places despite toiling for a combined 9-605 across the opening two Tests.
Stokes added: “We’ve had two tough games, lots of time in the field and got through some overs as a bowling unit. Back-to-back Test matches, you feel it’s the right time to get fresh legs in.”
Asked if Archer could get back to his best following such a lengthy absence from Test cricket, Stokes replied: “I don’t think there’s any reason we can’t see Jofra Archer operating at a level that we saw here at Lord’s on his debut. If we did not think he was ready, he would not be selected.”
India’s Rishabh Pant, renowned for his fearless approach to batting against even the quickest bowling, said later on Wednesday of Archer’s return: “It’s going to be a good contest for us. Because he’s also coming back after a long period. Let’s see how it goes. ”
India have scored seven hundreds in the first two Tests, with captain Shubman Gill piling up a remarkable tally of 585 runs in four innings.
“We’ve obviously got plans for all the Indian batters. Very good players are allowed to play well and he [Gill] has played very well in the first two games,” said Stokes.
It is two years since Stokes made his last Test-match hundred, against Australia at Lord’s. Since then the 34-year-old has been dismissed for scores of 15 or fewer 17 times in 33 Test innings.
“It’s two years ago so I’m pretty over it now,” said Stokes when asked about his blistering 155 in a 2023 Ashes clash. “Hopefully, a score is around the corner.”
And having seen India bounce back from defeat in the series opener, Stokes insisted England could do the same at Lord’s.
“The results were always going to ebb and flow because it’s two very good teams going at it,” he said.
“We respect our opposition whoever they may be … We’ll be coming out this week and trying to hit them hard and come out with a win.”
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images
