Jofra Archer will start his first Test in more than four years after being named as the only change to the England team to face India in the third Test that gets under way on Thursday at Lord’s.
Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse are both retained after the defeat by India at Edgbaston that squared the series 1-1, with Josh Tongue making way for Archer.
Archer, 30, has endured stress fractures in his elbow and lower back and had multiple surgeries since he last featured in a Test in February 2021.
“It’s been exciting to have him back in the squad and now we can say he’s back in the playing XI it’s a pretty great day,” the England captain, Ben Stokes, said. “Jof can be pretty proud of himself that he’s managed to get himself back here after two pretty big injury scares. The way he’s handled the injury setbacks over that period has been very commendable. It’s been a long time coming for him and it’s great for English fans.”
Archer’s appearance comes after a solitary first-class match for Sussex against Durham, in which he took one wicket in 18 overs. But he was at the second Test at Edgbaston last week after being named in the initial squad and Stokes believes he is ready.
“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,” he said, referencing his astonishing spell to Australia’s Steve Smith on his Test bow at Lord’s in 2019. “It’s obvious whenever he does get the ball in his hand there is a change in the game. The opposition feel it as well because they know what he can do in a spell.
“If we did not think he was ready, or in a position to be selected, he would not be selected. We think he’s done enough to be able to get through a Test match. Of course, whenever you take the field you are always putting yourself at risk. It’s a professional sport, it’s a very physical sport. We all know potentially stuff could go wrong, but we would not select someone if we didn’t think they could get through it.”
Archer’s fellow fast bowler Mark Wood, who has been nursing a knee injury, was seen training at Lord’s and is understood to be targeting the final Test at the Oval.
Dukes, meanwhile, has defended the quality of its cricket balls after both India and England voiced their disappointment in those that have been used in the first two games of the series. On the eve of the third Test, Rishabh Pant said they are “definitely irritating the players”, with the series notable for the speed with which they have softened and lost their shape, leading players to call regularly for new balls.
“I definitely feel it’s a big problem,” said Pant, India’s vice-captain and wicketkeeper, who received an official reprimand during the first Test for showing dissent after a request to change the ball was refused.
“In this series what I’ve seen is the ball is getting D-shaped too much. That has never happened like this. It’s definitely irritating the players because every ball plays different.”
Stokes suggested the quality of Dukes balls was a recurring problem: “Whenever we have touring teams visiting there’s an issue with the balls going soft and completely out of shape,” the captain said.
Dilip Jajodia, the owner of Dukes, has insisted that cricket balls were not designed to withstand the pounding they receive at the hands of modern power-hitters with heavy bats.
Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir.
“I keep telling everybody, the bats have changed, they’re very powerful, the players are stronger, they’re hitting the ball out of the ground far more often,” Jajodia told the Indian Express. “The ball is clattering into pillars and benches and all that. It’s a miracle they’re not changed every two hours.”
“You need to give a brand new ball for a Test, making it a product that can’t be tested. And since it is made out of natural raw materials, you can’t 100% guarantee that every ball will be perfect. Nobody on the planet can make something like that.
“We’re making the balls to the original British standard. I select the balls personally, I present them, and if you look at them, they are the most beautiful things on the planet. When you play with them, that’s out of my control.”
