In a major development for England, star pacer Jofra Archer could be making his return to the side’s Test setup. The 30-year-old has been named in English County side Sussex’s squad for their upcoming clash against Durham. It is worth noting that Archer last played for Sussex back in May 2021; however, a long list of injuries kept delaying his return.
However, Archer had made his return for England in white-ball cricket, as he was with the side during the Champions Trophy 2025. England selector Luke Wright recently came forward and opined that if Archer is able to compete for Sussex, he could be set to take on India in the second Test of the ongoing series.
“He’s obviously had a horrific time with injuries, but he’s had some good amount of cricket, albeit in the white-ball formats. It’s really exciting for England, but also more exciting for Jof that he’s in a position now where we’re able to have a plan in place and hopefully he gets through something to actually be considered for selection for Test cricket,” Wright was quoted as saying by Sportstar.
England could need Archer ahead of second Test
Speaking of the ongoing series between England and India, the first two days of the first Test have been dominated by the Indian team. Coming in to bat first, the likes of Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, and Rishabh Pant all scored centuries and propelled the Indian team to a score of 471 runs in the first innings of the game.
England’s bowlers struggled throughout the two days. Ben Stokes and Josh Tongue put in a good showing, taking four wickets each in the first innings. If Archer manages to come back into the side for the second Test of the series, it could prove to be a huge boost for the hosts.