In Short
- James Anderson backs Archer’s selection for Lord’s Test
- Archer has recovered from injuries and played for Sussex recently
- England lost second Test by 336 runs, series tied 1-1
England legend James Anderson has thrown his support behind the return of Jofra Archer, urging the selectors to unleash the pace ace in the pivotal third Test against India at Lord’s.
Archer, 29, hasn’t played a Test match since February 2021 due to a series of injuries, including stress fractures and elbow problems. However, he recently made a return to first-class cricket with Sussex and was part of the England squad for the second Test at Edgbaston. England suffered a heavy 336-run defeat in that match, allowing India to level the series 1-1, and Anderson believes it’s now or never when it comes to reintroducing Archer.
“You could keep trying to build his overs up and play him later in the series, but it could be too late by then,” Anderson said.
“I think he will play. He’s played one game for Sussex, he was around the team at Edgbaston and bowled a bit. I just feel like you’ve got to play him. It’s too crucial a game not to.”
England head coach Brendon McCullum stopped short of confirming Archer’s selection, but offered a glowing assessment of the pacer’s physical and mental readiness. After years of setbacks, Archer appears finally ready to step back into the Test arena.
“Jofra is looking fit, he’s looking strong, he’s looking ready to go, and he’ll come into calculations,” McCullum said.
“It’s hugely exciting. He’s buzzing as well. He’s obviously been through his injuries and his time out of Test cricket.
“We all know what he’s capable of achieving in Test cricket and we hope that when the opportunity does arrive for him, he’s able to recapture and also improve on what he’s been able to do already in that form of the game.”
Archer’s potential return is part of a broader selection debate ahead of the third Test, which begins Thursday at Lord’s. Fast bowler Gus Atkinson is back in contention after recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during the one-off Test against Zimbabwe in May. Batting all-rounder Jacob Bethell is also under consideration, although head coach Brendon McCullum confirmed the 22-year-old would not be replacing primary spinner Shoaib Bashir.
“He’s a batting option,” McCullum said of Bethell. “He’s the next one in if something happens.
“He wants to keep improving his bowling so that he can obviously impact the game across both the bat and ball. It’s not something we’d look at from a tactical point of view to do.”
England’s squad for the third Test features a mix of youth and experience, but all eyes will be on whether the selectors take Anderson’s advice and unleash Jofra Archer at the “Home of Cricket” in a potentially pivotal match in the series.
England squad for third Test vs India at Lord’s: Ben Stokes (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.
