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Jofra Archer Set for Test Return at Lord’s After Four-Year Red-Ball Absence

England captain Ben Stokes has backed Archer’s ability to complete five days of cricket following his latest thumb injury.

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Overview

  • Archer will make his first red-ball appearance for England since 2021 when he takes the field in the third Test against India at Lord’s on July 10, 2025.
  • He missed England’s May ODI series with the West Indies due to a right thumb injury but has since regained fitness through county cricket and national squad training.
  • Ben Stokes insisted Archer earned selection on merit and is fit to bowl extended spells over the full five days of Test cricket.
  • His recall reflects a deliberate ECB workload management approach that saw Archer restricted to white-ball cricket in 2024 after stress fractures in his elbow and lower back.
  • The Barbados-born fast bowler first burst onto the scene during England’s 2019 World Cup and Ashes successes before injuries stalled his red-ball career.