Jofra Archer named in England squad after four years ahead of Edgbaston Test

India vs England: Four years after his last Test, Jofra Archer has been named in England’s squad for the second Test against India that starts from July 2 in Birmingham. The fast bowlers, whose career was stalled recurrent elbow injuries and stress fractures, made his first-class return for Sussex last week against Durham, where he bowled 18 overs and picked a wicket and told reporters that he “felt all right.”
“I’ve been playing for a year, and bowling for two years, including the build-up, so everything is fine. Now it’s a different challenge, because I know my body can hold up to it. The mental part of the game [will be tough]. Over the next couple of days, I’m going to have to battle a bit with it, but it’s all good. It’s a new challenge, and I’ll keep trucking along,” he would say. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW VIDEO
Whether he would be an automatic choice in the eleven that faces India is a different questions after England’s seamer rallied back after a torrid first day in Leeds on a surface that hardly offered them any assance. Some of pundits like Michael Vaughan opined that he should not be rushed back into the eleven, even though that would bolster England’s firepower. Apart from Josh Tongue, intermittently, none had nudged 140kph and when the surface was flat, they missed the sheer pace of someone like Archer and Mark Wood, who is likely to feature in the fifth Test.
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Sussex coach Paul Fabrace too considers that England should res the Archer temptation and wait till the third Test. “I would be definitely sticking with Chris Woakes for Edgbaston because he knows the pitch inside out,” the former England assant coach said. “Why change the team? They’ve just won the Test at Headingley. They’ve set themselves up nicely for the series. If I was in their situation, my honest answer would be that I would save him for the third Test match. You have to be careful that he’s only bowled 18 overs of red-ball cricket.”
According to Fabrace he bowled with pace and precision. “He bowled with good pace, he bowled with good accuracy, his body is in good shape, which is fantastic. We’d all love to see Jofra playing for England, because England having Jofra available makes England a much better team, and gives us a much better chance of winning the big series. So let’s look after him and be careful with him. But it is fantastic to have him back,” he said.
Like Fabrace, former captain Vaughan said he would like to see Archer get another first-class game under his belt. “The good thing is that Jofra is back in the equation – but I’d like to see him play another four-day game. He’s not played the longer format for four years so why, on the back of one game for Sussex against Durham, would you rush him back?” Vaughan told the BBC.
Archer tearaway partner Mark Wood felt they should earn their spot in the team. “We have got to be at our maximum, we have got to be 90mph plus, and offering something to the captain and the team. It is no good just expecting to play when these lads are currently in the team and they are doing well. You have to earn your spot and I am sure me and Jofra will be out to do that,” Wood added.Story continues below this ad
England Men’s Test Squad:
Ben Stokes (Durham) – Captain, Jofra Archer (Sussex)Shoaib Bashir (Somerset)Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire)Harry Brook (Yorkshire)Brydon Carse (Durham)Sam Cook (Essex)Zak Crawley (Kent)Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)Jamie Overton (Surrey)Ollie Pope (Surrey)Joe Root (Yorkshire)Jamie Smith (Surrey)Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire)Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
India vs England Test Series Schedule:
2nd Test: England v India, 2-6 July 2025, Edgbaston, Birmingham
3rd Test: England v India, 10-14 July 2025, Lord’s, London
4th Test: England v India, 23-27 July 2025, Emirates Old Trafford, ManchesterStory continues below this ad
5th Test: England v India, 31 July-4 August 2025, Kia Oval, London