Follow UsEngland were bolstered with the good piece of news when Jofra Archer returned to the Three Lions’ red-ball setup for the first time in four years, on June 26 (Thursday). While Archer is all but set in stone to play the second Test at Edgbaston, former England skipper Nasser Hussain was against the idea.
Hussain reckoned that England could be taking the ‘big risk’ by throwing Archer into the deep end of Test cricket. Archer made his red-ball comeback in the clash against Durham, where he bowled 18 overs, picking up one wicket for 32 runs.
“I think it’s too much of a risk this week but it may have gone so well — I don’t know Jofra Archer’s body — it may have gone so well that they say ‘we’ll play you this week’. Then the problem is who do you leave out?” Hussain said on Sky Sports.
As it stands, however, England might rotate their speedster Josh Tongue, managing his workload ahead of the third Test at Lord’s, conditions where he’s excelled in the past. Hussain reckoned that he would wait a week more ahead of Lord’s Test before putting Archer into the England XI.
“I do think it is a gamble worth taking, I just don’t know if it’s worth taking this week. I would do it a week after at Lord’s,” he added.
“He’s only just made his first-class comeback for Sussex for four years this week, where he bowled 18 overs. When Archer’s fully fit, he is one of the best in the world. He is absolutely box office, he has that raw pace. But unfortunately for him he hasn’t been fully fit for a very long time. So it is a gamble.”
But Hussain was more than delighted with Archer’s return, with the speedster returning to the red-ball setup for the first time since the 2021 away series against India.
“Firstly you have to say it’s good news for Archer and England in that Jof must have been through so much with those [elbow and back injuries], the rehab, the pain, the mental torment of continually getting injured and making comebacks, so it’s great to see him back in the squad, he hasn’t played a Test match for four years. Fundamentally if you’re an England fan you should be pleased to see Jofra Archer back in a red ball squad,” Hussain said.