Tag: Jofra Archer

LONDON: England have included Jofra Archer in their playing XI for the third Test of the Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy against India, marking the fast bowler’s return to red-ball cricket after more than four years.

Archer will make his return to red-ball cricket on Thursday at the iconic Lord’s, the very ground where he made his Test debut back in 2019.

His comeback follows an extended spell on the sidelines due to recurring elbow and back injuries, which had restricted him to white-ball formats in recent years.

However, he recently returned to first-class cricket, bowling 18 overs for Sussex last month, and has now been deemed fit to lead England’s pace attack at Lord’s.

His inclusion comes as England look to bounce back from a heavy 336-run defeat in the second Test at Edgbaston.

Jofra Archer replaces Josh Tongue in the XI, the only change from the previous match. While Tongue is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 11 scalps, he has been expensive, leaking runs at 4.56 per over.

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Interestingly, Archer’s return mirrors the circumstances of his 2019 debut when England brought him in after Australia’s Steve Smith dominated with twin hundreds in the opening Ashes Test.

Now, he’s been handed the task of unsettling India’s in-form captain Shubman Gill, who stunned England with scores of 269 and 161 at Edgbaston.

Despite a heavy workload in the first two Tests, Brydon Carse and Chris Woakes retain their places. Carse bowled 77 overs across the two matches and appeared to be dealing with a toe issue during the second Test.

However, captain Ben Stokes dismissed fitness concerns, clarifying that the discomfort was due to his footwear rather than a physical injury.

It’s worth noting that Archer has featured in 13 Tests for England between 2019 and 2021, picking up 42 wickets at an average of 31.04. His most prolific run came in the 2019 Ashes, where he claimed 20 wickets at 20.27.

England Playing XI for 3rd Test vs India: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir.

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England head coach Brendon McCullum has confirmed that ace pacer Jofra Archer is ready to play in the ‘blockbuster’ third Test against India, set to commence on 10 July at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground.

The Anderson-Tendulkar series between India and England is leveled at 1-1, with the visitors equalling the scoreline after thrashing the home side by 336 runs at Edgbaston.

The Three Lions will gain a significant boost as Jofra Archer returns to play in his first Test match since the 2021 tour of India.

Jofra Archer faced a string of injuries, resulting in him playing only seven limited-overs internationals between March 2021 and May 2024.

Speaking ahead of the match, Brendon McCullum shed light on the inclusion of Jofra Archer for the third Test.

“He’ll certainly be available for selection. Jofra is looking fit, he’s looking strong, he’s looking ready to go, and he’ll come into calculations,” said McCullum.

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“It’s hugely exciting. He’s buzzing as well. He’s obviously been through his injuries and his time out of Test cricket, but we all know what he’s capable of achieving and we hope that when the opportunity does arrive for him, he’s able to recapture and improve on what he’s been able to do already,” he added.

The pitch at Edgbaston was flat, with a total of 1692 runs scored across five days, marking the highest aggregate between England and India.

“Something with a bit more pace, a bit more bounce, and maybe a little bit of sideways (movement), hopefully,” England’s head coach stated when asked about the surface for the Lord’s Test.

He stated that the upcoming match will be mouth-watering, hinting that the pitch will offer a lot to the bowlers.

“It’ll be a blockbuster either way, but I think it’s going to set up for a cracker, especially if there’s plenty of life in it,” McCullum said.

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Fast bowlers Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson could be recalled for next week’s third Test against India at Lord’s after England captain Ben Stokes admitted his attack had failed to “blast them open” at Edgbaston.

India levelled the five-match series at 1-1 with a crushing 336-run win in the second Test on Sunday’s fifth day.

And within hours of the thumping loss, England added Surrey quick Atkinson to their squad for the Lord’s Test.

Atkinson is fit again after suffering hamstring trouble against Zimbabwe in May and could join forces for the first time with Archer, who trained with England in Birmingham ahead of what promises to be the express quick’s first Test following four years of injury-induced exile.

Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue could be the two bowlers to make way after plenty of overs against an India side who’ve scored nearly 1,900 runs, including five individual hundreds, in the opening two games of this series.

Stokes, as he’d done during England’s five-wicket win in the first Test at Headingley, sent India in to bat at Edgbaston.

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But having seen India reduced to 211-5, the England captain became increasingly helpless in the field as the tourists piled up 567, with opposing captain Shubman Gill making an outstanding 269.

“At 200-5, we were happy, but we just weren’t able to blast them open,” said Stokes after England were dismissed for 271 on the final day. “They ended up getting a big first innings total after us having a good start.”

“It’s no secret that we have spent some time in the field and bowled some overs in the first two games, so we’ll have to see how everyone pulls up over the next two days. With it being a quick turnaround, there probably will be a decision we have to make.”

England bowlers, meanwhile, now have the tough task of stemming new India captain Shubman Gill’s extraordinary run spree.

Not content with his first-innings effort, Gill made 161 second time around at Edgbaston as he became the first batsman in 148 years of Test history to score a double century and a 150 in the same match.

The 25-year-old Gill, who marked his first Test as skipper with a century at Headingley, has now scored 585 runs in the series at a colossal average of 146.5.

England squad for Lord’s Test against India

Ben Stokes (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.

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England has announced an unchanged playing XI for the second Test against India, which is set to commence on Wednesday at Edgbaston.

The three lions have named a similar playing XI to that from the first Test, in which they secured a five-wicket victory to take 1-0  lead in the five-match Test series.

England defeated India in the opening match of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy despite the visitors piling up a significant score of 471 in the first innings. The second Test is set to take place at Edgbaston, where India have not won a single game in their previous eight attempts.

Among the notable exclusions from the Playing XI was Jofra Archer, who was added to the squad for the first time since the 2021 tour of India due to a string of injuries.

According to the report, Jofra Archer, who missed the team’s training session, was not included in England’s playing XI because of a family emergency. Meanwhile, he will rejoin the team in Birmingham on Tuesday.

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The Barbados-born pacer has been carefully brought back to the England side. The 30-year-old first represented England in white-ball cricket, followed by a four-day encounter in the County Championship for Sussex last week.

It’s worth mentioning that after the second Test, the two teams will travel to London for the third match of the series, which is scheduled at the iconic Lord’s from 10 to 14 July.

Following that, the fourth Test will commence at Old Trafford on 23 July. The series will conclude with the fifth Test at The Oval, scheduled from 31 July to 4 August.

England Playing XI for the second Test

Ben Stokes (c), Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook (vc), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir

READ: Gautam Gambhir faces growing pressure ahead of second England Test

Fast bowler Jofra Archer has been named in the England squad for the upcoming second Test of the five-match series against India, scheduled to be played at Edgbaston from 2 July.

This decision comes after England’s five-wicket victory against India in the first Test at Headingley earlier this week.

Archer, who has been out of the Test team since the 2021 tour of India, recently made his return to red-ball cricket, playing for Sussex against Durham in the last round of the County Championship.

After the 2021 tour of India, he faced an elbow issue and later suffered a stress fracture in his back, resulting in him playing only seven limited-overs internationals between March 2021 and May 2024.

“It felt all right today,” Archer said after his return to red-ball cricket. “I’ve been playing for a year, and bowling for two years, including the build-up, so everything is fine.”

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“Now it’s a different challenge, because I know my body can hold up to it. The mental part of the game [will be tough].

“Over the next couple of days, I’m going to have to battle a bit with it, but it’s all good. It’s a new challenge, and I’ll keep trucking along.”

It’s worth mentioning that after the second Test, the two teams will travel to London for the third match of the series, which is scheduled at the iconic Lord’s from 10 to 14 July.

Following that, the fourth Test will commence at Old Trafford on 23 July. The series will conclude with the fifth Test at The Oval, scheduled from 31 July to 4 August.

England squad for the second Test against India

Ben Stokes (capt), Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes

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LONDON: The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Wednesday confirmed that star pacer Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the ODI series against the West Indies due to a right thumb injury.

The upcoming series will be the first under the newly appointed white-ball captain Harry Brooks, featuring three ODIs and as many T20Is.

According to the details,  Jofra Archer will be reassessed by the England medical team over the next fortnight to determine when he may return to action.

It’s important to note that Archer was excluded from the T20I series against the West Indies because he has been chosen to play for the England Lions against India A in Northampton, starting June 6.

He has not participated in a first-class match in four years and last played in one of his 13 Test matches in India in February 2021.

ECB has been gradually reintroducing him to international competition through white-ball cricket after a challenging spell of injuries.

However, they are eager for him to be part of the pace battery they plan to take to Australia this winter, aiming to win the Ashes overseas for the first time since 2010/11.

Unfortunately, his recent injury has made him doubtful for the England Lions’ red-ball match against India A.

Meanwhile, Lancashire’s Luke Wood has been added to England’s ODI squad for the three-match series, which begins on 29 May at Edgbaston.

England ODI Squad:

Harry Brook (Captain), Luke Wood,  Gus Atkinson, Tom Banton,  Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks,  Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jamie Smith

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England T20I Squad:

Harry Brook (Captain), Rehan Ahmed, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Luke Wood

England vs West Indies Series Schedule

1st ODI – Thursday 29 May 2025, Edgbaston, Birmingham
2nd ODI – Sunday 1 June 2025, Sophia Gardens, Cardiff
3rd ODI – Tuesday 3 June 2025, Kia Oval, London

1st T20I – Friday 6th June 2025, Banks Home Riverside, Durham
2nd T20I – Sunday 8th June 2025, Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol
3rd T20I – Tuesday 10th June, Utilita Bowl, Southampton

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Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh has landed in controversy after allegedly making a racially insensitive remark about England pacer Jofra Archer during an IPL 2025 match.

The incident occurred on March 23 during a match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals, where Harbhajan, commentating on Star Sports’ Hindi broadcast, made an analogy that did not sit well with fans.

While discussing Archer’s pace, Harbhajan Singh reportedly said: “London me kaali taxi ka meter tez bhaagta hai, aur yaha pe Archer sahab ka meter bhi tez bhaaga hai.”

(“In London, the meter of a black taxi runs fast, and here, Mr. Archer’s meter has also run fast.”)

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The comment immediately sparked backlash on social media, with fans accusing Harbhajan of making a racially charged comparison.

Many have demanded an apology from the former cricketer, while others are urging the BCCI, Star Sports, and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to take action.

Some fans have even called for Harbhajan to be removed from the IPL commentary panel for the remainder of the season.

Notably, this is not the first time Harbhajan has been caught in controversy over racially insensitive remarks, but he has yet to comment on the current backlash.

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LAHORE: England speedster Jofra Archer etched his name into record books during the match against Afghanistan in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 here at the Gaddafi Stadium on Wednesday.

Archer shattered the record for the fastest 50 wickets in ODIs by an England cricketer, surpassing the legendary James Anderson.

The England fast bowler reached the feat in the fifth over of the match, dismissing the Afghanistan top order batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz.

Catch every Champions Trophy update here!

The 29-year-old fast bowler delivered an exceptional opening spell, taking back-to-back wickets in two overs during his 30th One Day International, helping to push back the Afghanistan team.in two overs in his 30th One Day International.

  Fastest England Bowlers to 50 ODI Wickets:

• Jofra Archer – 30 matches vs Afghanistan (2025)
• James Anderson – 31 matches vs West Indies (2004)
• Steve Harmison – 32 matches vs Australia (2005)
• Steven Finn – 33 matches vs New Zealand (2013)
• Darren Gough – 34 matches vs New Zealand (1997)

The leading wicket-taker for fast bowlers in Test matches, Anderson previously held the record, achieving this milestone in 31 matches against the West Indies in 2004.

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For the unversed, the record for the quickest bowler to take 50 scalps in an ODI belongs to former Sri Lankan spin wizard Ajantha Mendis, who achieved this feat in just 19 matches back in 2009.

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LEEDS: Pakistan’s white-ball captain and ace batter Babar Azam played down the hype of returning England pacer Jofra Archer for the four-match T20I series between last edition’s runners-up before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

Babar, while speaking at the pre-series press conference, was asked to share his views on Jofra Archer’s return to the England side and whether the right-arm speedster would trouble Pakistan batters in the forthcoming series.

“We are looking forward. I think he’s coming back after one year, but I am not sure. As a team, we are very excited to play Archer because we played [well against him] in the past, stated Babar.

“If you look, we have bowlers with similar pace like Haris Rauf, Shaheen and Amir. We are facing them every day so, we are not [afraid], we are excited,” he added.

The Pakistan skipper also provided an update regarding Haris Rauf’s fitness and revealed that the right-arm speedster is completely fit.

“We’ve received clearance for Haris Rauf. He’s available for this series. So, by the will of Almighty Allah, he will surely be seen in action in the series.”

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Babar Azam further acknowledged England as one of the best teams in the world and termed the four-match series against reigning champions as a golden opportunity to fine-tune their preparations for the T20 World Cup 2024.

“[We are] very excited before the World Cup, we have a good series and it will help a lot.

For the unversed, the four-match T20I series between Pakistan and England will run from May 22 to 30 and will serve as a warm-up for both teams heading into the T20 World Cup 2024.

Pakistan squad:

Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Muhammad Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi and Usman Khan.

England squad:

Jos Buttler (c), Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Tom Hartley, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood and Reece Topley.

Pak vs Eng T20I series schedule:

1st T20I: Wed, May 22nd
2nd T20I: Sat, May 25th
3rd T20I: Tue, May 28th
4th T20I: Thu, May 30th

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Defending champions England have announced a 15-member squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 on Tuesday, featuring fast bowler Jofra Archer.

The 20-team tournament is scheduled to be played in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA) from June 1 to 29.

“Jofra Archer has recovered from his right elbow injury and is named in the squad. Archer’s last appearance at this level came over a year ago in England’s tour of Bangladesh in March 2023,” England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) press release stated.

The right-arm fast bowler was instrumental to England’s ICC World 2019 triumph, however, he has been struggling with injuries since then.

He has represented England in 15 T20Is, taking 18 wickets, before spending last year on the sidelines owing to the above-mentioned elbow injury.

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Meanwhile, all-rounder Chris Woakes was dropped in favour of fellow all-rounder Chris Jordan, who last represented England in September 2023 against New Zealand.

Uncapped left-arm spinner Tom Hartley, who claimed 22 wickets during his first Test series against India recently, also earned a call-up for the T20 World Cup.

Jos Buttler will lead the squad, who will play in the T20I series against Pakistan, which will kick off on May 22 before departing for the Caribbean.

Meanwhile, England will commence their T20 World Cup defence against Scotland in Barbados on June 4.

England T20 World Cup squad

Jos Buttler (c), Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali (vc), Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Tom Hartley, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Reece Topley

READ: South Africa announce ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad