After a long 52-month wait, Jofra Archer is all set to don the England whites again. The speedster has been named in the England Playing XI for 3rd Test at Lord’s against India. Archer last played a Test match back in February 2021 in India. However, with nagging elbow injuries and then a back injury prevented his return. While Archer linked up with the England squad in Birmingham, he was not named in the IND vs ENG Edgbaston Test. Now, the wait is over as he has replaced Josh Tongue, the only change in England Playing XI. However, Gus Atkinson’s return is delayed.
England Playing XI 3rd Test
1. Zak Crawley 2. Ben Duckett 3. Ollie Pope 4. Joe Root 5. Harry Brook 6. Ben Stokes (c) 7. Jamie Smith (wk) 8. Chris Woakes 9. Brydon Carse 10. Jofra Archer 11. Shoaib Bashir
Jofra Archer’s long wait
Archer’s trouble began in 2020 on South Africa tour. He was diagnosed with a bone stress injury, forcing him to miss four Tests and the entire T20I series. Scans revealed a stress fracture in his right elbow, ruling him out of the IPL 2020 and Sri Lanka tour. While he returned in March 2021 for the India tour, his injury nightmare returned as well.
Over the next few months, Archer underwent three surgeries, two on his elbow and one on his hand. But just when it seemed he would be ready to return, Archer suffered a lower back stress fracture in May 2022. When he recovered from a back injury, his nagging elbow problem returned to haunt him during IPL 2023. He had to undergo another surgery. Since then, he has slowly regained fitness. Now, a fully fit Archer is ready for the grind of Test cricket. His former England teammate James Anderson urged England to pick him for the IND vs ENG Lord’s Test to build momentum before the Ashes.
“You could keep trying to build his overs up and play him later in the series, but it could be too late by then. 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,” Anderson told the media ahead of the third Test.
No Gus Atkinson
However, England will be without Gus Atkinson. The bowling all-rounder joined the squad ahead of the IND vs ENG Lord’s Test. But England are not rushing his return. Instead, they have kept their faith in Brydon Carse, who has been in good form in the series against India.
Atkinson could be a real threat for India, considering his record at Lord’s. Atkinson averages 10.94 at Lord’s, bagging 19 wickets in just four matches. He also had a seven-for against West Indies on his Test debut at Lord’s.
Gus Atkinson at Lord’s
- Innings: 4
- Wickets: 19
- Average: 10.94
- BBI: 7/45
Crawley-Bashir-Woakes keep place
Despite a poor run of form, opener Zak Crawley has kept his place. Crawley has been under fire for his poor shot selection and mode of dismissals. Two former England captains — Geoffrey Boycott and Michael Vaughan — lashed out at Crawley, calling him the luckiest cricketer and awful.
Crawley managed 19 and a duck in the IND vs ENG Edgbaston Test after scoring 4 and 65 in Leeds. However, with a batting average of 31.11 in 56 Tests and just five centuries, he hasn’t been impressive. He has no centuries in India, Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. In fact, in 102 Test innings, Crawley was dismissed for a single-digit score 42 times. He has had the worst batting average among openers after 2500 Test runs.
Crawley’s records have been sub-par to retain the opening slot. But with other openers also failing to impress, Crawley got the backing of coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes.
Meanwhile, bowling all-rounder Chris Woakes has also retained his place, despite managing just three wickets in four innings at an average of 96.66 and strike rate of 164.00. Boycott called him past the sell-by date. With swing likely on offer at Lord’s, Woakes can win over his critics.
Shoaib Bashir also retained his place, despite failing to impress with the ball, bat and even on the field. Even though Bashir has bagged eight wickets in the series, best for England after Josh Tongue, he went for nearly 4 runs an over. Bashir has averaged 59.50 and has a strike rate of 90.00 in this IND vs ENG Test series.
