Archer To Play First Test In More Than Four Years

Jofra Archer will play his first Test successful much than 4 years aft being named successful nan England squad to look India astatine Lord's connected Thursday.

The 30-year-old's inclusion is nan only alteration to nan England squad for nan important 3rd Test, pinch nan bid level astatine 1-1.

Despite Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse some looking weary successful nan dense second-Test conclusion astatine Edgbaston, they are some retained, pinch Josh Tongue making measurement for Archer.

On nan aforesaid time Archer's spot successful nan England XI was confirmed, chap gait bowler Mark Wood trained astatine Lord's arsenic he continues his comeback from a knee injury.

It was thought Wood would miss nan full five-match bid against India, but nan Durham man is targeting nan last Test astatine The Oval. It raises nan tantalising imaginable of Archer and Wood successful nan aforesaid XI, which has only happened erstwhile earlier successful Test cricket.

Archer has taken 42 wickets successful 13 erstwhile Tests but has been dogged by backmost and elbow injuries since his last, besides against India, successful 2021. England person played 53 Tests since Archer past appeared. It will beryllium 1,595 days betwixt caps.

In that time, it seemed highly doubtful Archer would ever beryllium backmost successful Test cricket and location were points erstwhile his full profession was successful doubt.

Following his past awesome setback, successful 2023, Archer has followed a meticulous scheme laid retired by England, who person kept religion successful his ultimate talent pinch cardinal contracts passim his clip distant from Test cricket.

The culmination of that scheme is simply a comeback astatine Lord's, segment of Archer's 2 astir memorable moments successful an England shirt, some successful his debut twelvemonth of 2019.

Archer bowled nan ace complete successful England's heart-stopping World Cup last triumph complete New Zealand and, weeks later, returned to nan aforesaid crushed to make his Test front against Australia.

He made an instant effect pinch an electrifying spell, felling and concussing Aussie run-machine Steve Smith.

Though location is simply a symmetry to Archer's return, it is not without risk. He has played only 1 first-class lucifer successful nan build-up to nan 3rd Test, successful Sussex's travel to Durham 2 weeks ago. He bowled 18 overs and claimed 1 wicket.

While Archer's inclusion was expected, it is possibly a astonishment that England person not made further changes to their gait attack.

Woakes, 36, has taken only 3 wickets successful nan series, but has a superb grounds astatine Lord's. In 7 erstwhile Tests connected this crushed he has taken 32 wickets astatine an mean nether 13.

Carse appeared to beryllium struggling pinch a recurrence of nan ft problem that ruled him retired of nan opening of nan year, though has been passed fresh to play.

It intends nary spot for either Sam Cook aliases Jamie Overton. Gus Atkinson is besides successful nan squad arsenic he continues his comeback from a hamstring injury.

India train later connected Wednesday and are expected to invited backmost accelerated bowler Jasprit Bumrah aft he was rested for nan 2nd Test.