England have named their playing XI for the third Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series against India, with Sussex pacer Jofra Archer making his much-anticipated return to the red-ball format. Archer replaces Josh Tongue for the match at Lord’s, which begins on Thursday, July 10.
The five-Test series is currently level at 1-1, after India crushed England by 336 runs at Edgbaston — their first-ever Test win at the iconic Birmingham venue.
Archer, who last played a Test in February 2021, has had a stop-start red-ball career due to recurring elbow issues and a stress fracture in his back. Despite these setbacks, the 29-year-old has an impressive record, with 42 wickets in 13 Tests at an average of 31.04. He was part of the England squad for the second Test at Edgbaston but did not make the final XI.
With conditions at Lord’s expected to be different from those at Headingley and Edgbaston, Archer’s raw pace and bounce could prove crucial for Ben Stokes’ side as they seek to regain control of the series.
The decision to bring in Archer means Josh Tongue, England’s leading wicket-taker in the series so far with 11 scalps, misses out despite his strong performances. Tongue’s absence may raise eyebrows, especially considering his effectiveness with the new ball across both Tests.
Meanwhile, Gus Atkinson, who was added to the squad ahead of the third Test after recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during the one-off Test against Zimbabwe in May, has not been included in the playing XI.
India have looked the stronger side over the past five days, dominating both England’s batting and bowling departments at Edgbaston. The pressure is now on England, particularly their senior players, to respond at Lord’s and avoid falling behind in the series.
Archer’s return will add firepower to an England attack that has so far struggled to contain India’s in-form top order, led by skipper Shubman Gill.
England Playing XI For Third Test:
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer Shoaib Bashir
