England Announce Playing XI for Lord’s: Jofra Makes a Comeback After 4.5 Years
Lord’s – With the five-match Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Test series level at 1-1, England have announced their playing XI for the third Test against India, which starts on Thursday, July 10, from 3:30 PM IST at Lord’s – the spiritual home of cricket.
The major talking point is the return of fast bowler Jofra Archer, who is making his comeback to Test cricket after four and a half years. Archer last played a Test match in 2021, but recurring elbow and back injuries stalled his career.
Fittingly, Archer had made his Test debut at Lord’s six years ago, and now he returns to the same venue hoping to reignite his red-ball career. He replaces Josh Tongue, England’s leading wicket-taker in the current series with 11 wickets. Despite his success, Tongue has been left out due to his high economy rate of 4.56 runs per over and heavy workload — he bowled 81 overs in two matches.
Meanwhile, Chris Woakes (82 overs) and Brydon Carse (77 overs) retain their places in the side despite similar bowling loads.
Jofra Archer: A Quick Look
The 30-year-old pacer has taken 42 wickets in 13 Tests. In franchise cricket, he has played for both Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
England’s XI for the 3rd Test:
Ben Stokes (Captain), Ollie Pope (Vice-Captain), Jamie Smith (Wicketkeeper), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir