England’s pace sensation returns for 2nd India test

Having last featured in a Test match back in 2021 against India, Jofra Archer has been added to the squad for the Edgbaston Test.

England have named Jofra Archer in their squad for the second Test against India, starting 2 July in Birmingham.

The right-arm quick, who recently made a comeback to competitive cricket following a bout with an elbow injury, had last featured in a Test match back in 2021.

However, former England captain Michael Vaughan wants to see star quick Jofra Archer play another domestic red-ball match before he is unleashed onto India in the ongoing Test series.

Archer played his first red-ball contest in more than four years earlier this week when he turned out for Sussex in their four-day match against Durham at Chester-Le-Street and the 30-year-old showed glimpses of his best as he scored 31 with the bat and collected figures of 1/32 from 18 overs as the teams played out a draw.

The return to first-class cricket had been earmarked by national selector Luke Wright as a potential path back into Test cricket for Archer, but Vaughan sees no reason to rush the classy right-armer in for the second Test against India given England hold a 1-0 lead in the 5-match series.

Vaughan thinks Archer should play another four-day match for Sussex against Warwickshire commencing on Sunday and see how his injury-plagued body recovers before he should be considered for a Test recall.

“The good thing is that Jofra is back in the equation – but I’d like to see him play another four-day game,” Vaughan told the BBC.

“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?

“We know the intensity at Test-match level is so different to county cricket. Let him play another four-day game – I would go with the same line-up, as long as the bowlers are fine and there are no niggles.”

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes. (ICC)