After a long wait of four years, England pacer Jofra Archer has finally returned to the Test squad. Today, England announced a 15-member squad for the second Test against India, and the express pacer has made the cut.
Archer’s inclusion in the squad for the second Test was almost certain beforehand. Prior to the series, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had stated that if Archer could prove his fitness for the longer format, he would be considered for selection.
To that end, he played for Sussex in the County Championship. Against Durham, Archer bowled 18 overs, conceding just 32 runs and taking 1 wicket. Though he took only one wicket, his rhythm and ability to bowl consistently were the key takeaways.
Archer last played a Test match in February 2021 against India in Ahmedabad. Since then, a series of injuries prevented him from playing more than 13 Tests. Although he made a return to limited-overs cricket after recovering from elbow and back injuries, he hadn’t appeared in Test cricket until now.
The second Test of the series is scheduled to begin on July 2 in Birmingham. England currently lead the series 1-0 after a five-wicket win in the first Test at Leeds.
