Former England pacer James Anderson feels that Jofra Archer will make his appearance in the playing XI for the third Test match against India.
“You could keep trying to build his overs up and play him later in the series, but it could be too late by then. I think he will play. He played one game for Sussex; he was around the team at Edgbaston and bowled a bit. I just feel like you`ve got to play him. It`s too crucial a game not to,” Anderson told ICC.
Archer has not made a Test appearance in more than four years, but has played a match for Sussex before linking up with the national squad in Birmingham.
England`s head coach, Brendon McCullum, also shared an update on Jofra Archer`s potential return to the playing XI.
“Jofra is looking fit, he`s looking strong, he`s looking ready to go, and he`ll come into calculations. It`s hugely exciting. He`s buzzing as well. He`s obviously been through his injuries and his time out of Test cricket,” said McCullum.
“We all know what he`s capable of achieving in Test cricket and we hope that when the opportunity does arrive for him, he`s able to recapture and also improve on what he`s been able to do already in that form of the game,” he added.
Along with Archer, the hosts have also included pacer Gus Atkinson in the squad for the third Test match. While Jacob Bethell`s inclusion would provide England with another spin option, McCullum said he won`t take the place in the XI of first-choice spinner Shoaib Bashir. Bethell has only three Test appearances to his name with his most recent match coming against New Zealand at the end of last year.
England recently suffered a loss in the Birmingham clash by a huge margin of 336 runs. With this, the five-match Test series between India and England is currently tied at 1-1.
England squad for third Test: Ben Stokes (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, 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.
(With ANI Inputs)
