England announces their playing XI for the 3rd Test against India, with Jofra Archer replacing Josh Tongue
Jofra Archer, England's fast bowler known for his raw pace and bounce, is set to make a comeback in the red-ball format after a prolonged absence of over four years. The 28-year-old will feature in the third Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series against India, which begins on Thursday, July 10, at Lord's.
Archer's return comes at a crucial time for England, who have struggled to contain India's top order, particularly Shubman Gill, who leads India's in-form top order in the third Test. The pressure is on England, particularly their senior players, to respond at Lord's and avoid falling behind in the series.
Archer's career in Test cricket has been marked by impressive achievements and recurring injuries. In his 13 Test matches so far, he has taken 42 wickets at an average of 31.04. His career highlights include a sensational debut in the 2019 Ashes series, where he took 22 wickets at an outstanding average of 20.27, including two six-wicket hauls.
However, Archer's Test career faced a significant decline post-2019. He managed just eight wickets in eight Test innings in England, with a much higher average of 45, and he went wicket-less in several innings. His overall bowling average in home Tests settled at 26.86, with the bulk of his best performances concentrated during the 2019 Ashes.
The major factor affecting Archer's red-ball career has been frequent injuries. After his last Test appearance in February 2021 against India, Archer endured a long injury layoff of approximately 1596 days. These injuries included a thumb injury, elbow surgeries, and back issues that severely curtailed his availability and impacted his career progression.
England have named Archer in their playing XI for the third Test, replacing Josh Tongue, who has been England's leading wicket-taker in the series so far with 11 scalps. The conditions at Lord's are expected to be different from those at Headingley and Edgbaston, where India have dominated England's batting and bowling departments over the past five days.
England's playing XI for the third Test includes Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, and Shoaib Bashir. Gus Atkinson, who recovered from a hamstring injury, is not included in the team for the third Test.
Archer's return to Test cricket offers hope that he can regain his peak form and strengthen England's bowling lineup once again. The third Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series promises to be an exciting contest, with both teams eager to secure a crucial win.
[1] ESPNcricinfo. (2021). Jofra Archer career stats. [online] Available at: https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/182130.html [Accessed 9 Jul. 2025].
[2] Cricbuzz. (2021). Jofra Archer career stats. [online] Available at: https://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-player/4792/jofra-archer [Accessed 9 Jul. 2025].
[3] BBC Sport. (2021). Jofra Archer career stats. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/player/10116414 [Accessed 9 Jul. 2025].
[4] Sky Sports. (2021). Jofra Archer career stats. [online] Available at: https://www.skysports.com/cricket/content/player/4792/182130 [Accessed 9 Jul. 2025].
Jofra Archer's return to Test cricket could significantly impact England's bowling lineup and potentially improve their health in the series against India. His impressive performances, especially during the 2019 Ashes, demonstrate his potential to strengthen England's food chain on the field, should he regain his peak form.
