Bad News For India As English Speedster Returns To First-Class Action

England couldn’t have asked for better news, as Jofra Archer is set to mark his red-ball return, featuring for Sussex in their County Championship clash against Durham, on June 22 (Sunday). While Archer wasn’t initially marked to make his return in the clash against Durham, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) later clarified his return. 

“Jofra Archer will return to red-ball cricket with Sussex—despite not being named in squad for County Championship match at Durham. If he comes through the match unscathed, he could be in the mix to play in the second Test against India at Edgbaston,” said a report in Sky Sports.

With England’s pace-bowling stocks struggling at the moment, Archer’s return might be the biggest boost for the Three Lions. Archer hasn’t played a first-class match in the last four years, with his last appearance coming in May 2021, when he featured in a home clash against Kent. 

England skipper Ben Stokes further clarified before the series that we could see Archer at some point in the series. If Archer holds up well in the clash against Durham, he might well be in the running for the second Test against India, which starts on July 2 (Wednesday). 

Gus Atkinson’s return, too, isn’t confirmed yet, while Mark Wood isn’t set to return anytime soon, with the express pacer revealing that there’s a remote chance that he could feature in the fifth Test against India, which is more than a month away.