Subhayan Chakraborty in Birmingham
Jofra Archer is poised for a potential Test comeback after over four years, included in England’s 15-player squad for the upcoming match against India at Edgbaston. The 30-year-old, who burst onto the international scene in 2019, hasn’t featured in a Test since 2021 due to persistent injuries. Multiple surgeries for a recurring elbow stress fracture and a back injury that sidelined him for the entire 2022 summer disrupted his career. Archer resumed white-ball cricket in 2023, but further elbow issues kept him out for another summer.
He joins an unchanged squad from England’s incredible five-wicket first-Test victory at Headingley, with the second Test set to start in Birmingham on Wednesday.
His return bolsters an England pace attack depleted by injuries to Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, Olly Stone, Josh Hull, and the uncapped Sonny Baker. Archer joins Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Sam Cook, and Jamie Overton in the squad. Woakes, Carse, and Tongue featured in the Headingley win, and England may opt to retain the same XI for Edgbaston. With the Headingley victory reducing the need for immediate changes, England can afford to give Archer time to prepare for a potential Lord’s return.
Furthermore, with the weather pattern showing that it would be hot in the build-up to the second Test, with temperatures hovering from 25-31 degrees, a dry and flat wicket is expected at Edgbaston. Now, that would further nullify the Archer threat. Interestingly, Archer has never played in Edgbaston in Tests while picking only two wickets in as many ODIs at the venue. England will have to cautiously manage the speedster as he is unlikely to play all the four remaining Tests against India. A couple of Tests in the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy would work the best for England and Archer as it would allow the 30-year-old to build his body up for the Ashes.
Archer could very well skip Edgbaston, stay with the team, and target the third Test at Lord’s, where he debuted in 2019, memorably challenging Smith and Marnus Labuschagne while taking five wickets. It would be interesting to see whether Archer can recapture his prior red-ball form and how he’ll fit into the attack.
His recovery has been cautiously managed, focusing solely on white-ball cricket, with an eye on a Test return this summer and the Ashes in Australia this winter. He was also part of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025 but was eventually ruled out of the tournament after picking up a thumb injury.
During the Headingley Test, Archer played his first red-ball match since May 2021, taking 1-32 from 18 overs for Sussex against Durham. After his first four-day game in over 1,500 days, he expressed confidence in his readiness for Test cricket, saying, “I feel good. I’m just happy to get through a day of first-class cricket,” he had said after the Sussex game.
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