In what could be a game-changing moment for English cricket, Jofra Archer has been named in the squad for the second Test against India, set to begin on Wednesday, July 2, at Edgbaston, Birmingham. This marks a highly anticipated comeback for the Barbados-born bowler, who hasn’t played a Test match in over four years.
The 30-year-old last played a Test in 2021, and since then, injuries have haunted his career. From recurring elbow stress fractures to a back injury that wiped out his 2022 summer, the road back has been anything but easy.
Jofra Archer returns to England’s Test squad after four years
Multiple surgeries and careful rehab routines followed, and fans started to wonder if they would ever see Jofra Archer in whites again. Now that Archer is back, his inclusion gives England more firepower in their pace attack. With Edgbaston often favouring seamers early on, his return could be a massive boost.
In just 13 Tests, he has claimed 42 wickets, including three five-wicket hauls. His pace, bounce, and ability to extract movement from even the flattest of pitches make him a nightmare for batters.
ENGLAND SQUAD FOR THE 2ND TEST:
Stokes (C), Archer, Root, Duckett, Bashir, Bethell, Brook, Carse, Sam Cook, Crawley, Overton, Pope, Smith, Tongue and Woakes. pic.twitter.com/oCGf1qfyRo
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 26, 2025
Jofra Archer has displayed true qualities of precision, aggression, and deception so far, and he could ruffle Indian batters’ feathers. He hits the deck hard, generates a steep bounce, and often surprises batters with his pace and sudden movement. Indian batters will need to be cautious, as Archer has the tools to dismantle even the strongest line-ups, especially in English conditions.
Read more: Gautam Gambhir reveals why Jasprit Bumrah won’t play entire ENG vs IND Test Series
The England cricket team, led by Ben Stokes, got the better of Team India in the first Test by five wickets at Headingley, Leeds, and took the first lead in the five-match Test series. It is really going to be very interesting to see how they go about their work in the second game.
India will look to bounce back from the loss in a bid to level the series. England have stuck to the squad that won the thrilling first Test at Headingley, making just one addition.
England’s squad for the second Test
Ben Stokes (Captain), Jofra Archer, Joe Root, Ben Duckett, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Smith, Josh Tongue, and Chris Woakes.
