LONDON: Their pace bowlers could only pick nine wickets across two innings, one less than India's speedster Akash Deep's match-haul, in the Edgbaston Test, which England lost by a record margin of 336 runs. The hammering at the hands of India, which also levelled the five-match series 1-1, was bound to draw some reactions from the hosts and they responded by including pacer Jofra Archer in their playing XI for the third match starting at the Lord's on Thursday. Fellow pacer Josh Tongue made way for Archer as England made only one change for the Lord's Test.
It's not that the team management parachuted the Barbados-born fast bowler as a quick-fix replacement. Archer was added to the squad ahead of the second match in Birmingham. Despite not being given a game in Birmingham, the pacer was retained in the squad and England captain Ben Stokes said then it was done to help him get acquainted with the team. In fact, Archer played for Sussex against Durham last month and took 1/32 in 18 overs in the first innings. Durham, however, did not bat a second time as the match ended in a draw.
As far the longest format of the game is concerned, Archer last featured in a Test in February 2021. Incidentally, it came against India on a rank-turner in Ahmedabad where the match got over inside two days with the hosts winning by 10 wickets. Given the nature of the surface, Archer couldn't do much with the ball in the match, picking up the wicket of Shubman Gill, his only scalp in the match.
Return of Archer was the talking point a day ahead of the match and Stokes termed it exciting not only for the fans but for Archer himself. "It is really exciting. I think it's great for English fans, but also for Jofra. It's been a long time coming for him. I think the way in which he's handled the injury setbacks over that period, it's been very commendable. And then the way in which he's got himself back onto the field and playing cricket over a long period of time now," said Stokes in the pre-match press conference.
Stokes was all praise for Archer, whose career has been hit by injuries more often than not. "It was exciting to have him back in the squad and in contention for last week, but now that we can say he's in the playing 11, it is very exciting for the group, but also, I think it's a pretty great day and I think Jofra is gonna be pretty proud of himself that he's managed to get himself back here after two pretty big injury scare," the captain added.
Having made his Test debut six years ago with great aplomb, Archer could play only 13 matches so far taking 42 wickets at an average of 31.04. Since his last Test, the 30-year-old has been dogged by back and elbow injuries casting a serious doubt on whether he will be able to make a comeback in the format.
Archer underwent an elbow surgery soon after the India tour and had to undergo the procedure once again in December when the issue was not resolved. Misfortune struck again when he sustained a stress fracture only a few months later in 2022. The elbow problem returned to haunt the pacer again in 2023 putting his Test career at risk.
England and Wales Cricket Board stood like a rock behind Archer in this time of extreme distress as his central contract was maintained and his rehabilitation was closely monitored from the sidelines. The board also made sure Archer was not rushed back into the action as he was eased back into the team with limited-overs cricket.
Since Archer's last match in Test whites, England have played 53 Tests over 1595 days. Hopefully for Stokes and Co, the return, even if after a gap of more than four years, works wonders for the team and helps them get the better of their opponents. Meanwhile, fellow fast bowler Mark Wood, who has been nursing a knee injury, trained at the venue on Wednesday. Earlier, it was assumed that the Durham man could miss the entire series but it is been learnt that he targetting a return for the final Test at the Oval.
