After their 336-run loss against India at Edgbaston last week, the England cricket team made one change in their playing XI when they included pacer Jofra Archer in the team for the two sides’ encounter for the 3rd Test at Lord’s. Archer will replace Josh Tongue as he returns to the England Test team for the first time since February 2021.
Archer, who was added to the England squad for the five-match series last month, had missed the second Test after he missed a training session at Edgbaston due to a family emergency. Archer, who has struggled with elbow-related injury to his bowling arm over the last several years, last played in a Test more than four years ago against India in Ahmedabad.
“Sussex fast bowler Jofra Archer replaces Josh Tongue for the third game of the five-Test series, starting on Thursday, July 10. The 30-year-old right-arm quick returns to the England Test team for the first time since February 2021 and will make his 14th cap,” the England Cricket team said in a statement.
One change for Lord’s 🔁
After a four year wait…
Jofra returns to Test Cricket 😍— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 9, 2025
Last month, Archer had lined up in whites for county cricket for the first time in 1501 days. Archer picked up a wicket in his appearance for Sussex in their Championship match against Durham.
After England’s loss to India in the second Test, skipper Ben Stokes hadn’t revealed Archer’s status.
“Again, it’ll be a decision that we have to make seeing how everyone pull up. We’ve had him here this week to get around the group and build him up with his workloads. Everyone’s in consideration for the game at Lord’s,” Stokes had said.
Archer was last part of a Test match for England way back in February 2021. That year he went through an elbow injury, for which he had to undergo surgery. He then underwent a stress fracture in his lower back in 2022 that kept him out for the year. Since then Archer has been looking for a way back into the England Test team.
England playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir
