After missing four years of test duty due to injury, England speedster Jofra Archer is keen to make up for lost time and says he wants to play the final two tests against India and prove he deserves a place in the squad for the Ashes series in Australia.
Archer made his test comeback at Lord’s in the third test, bowling at full tilt to claim five wickets, including three in the second innings as England clinched a 22-run victory to go 2-1 up in the five-match series.
England management, men’s managing director Rob Key in particular, have been careful about Archer’s workload since his recovery from elbow and back injuries but the bowler is raring to go.
“I can play the other two (against India) if they let me,” Archer told Sky Sports.
“I don’t want to lose this series. I told ‘Keysey’ I wanted to play the test summer and I wanted to play the Ashes.
“I think one tick is already there and I will do everything possible in my power to be on the plane in November.”
It was Archer’s first test since coach Brendon ‘Baz’ McCullum and captain Ben Stokes took the helm in 2022 and implemented an exciting result-oriented approach.
Archer was happy how his reintegration into the test squad had been handled.
“Obviously it would have been the format which would have taken the most time to come back to. So I played 50-over and T20 for the last year and a half, two years,” he said.
“The guys have played some really exciting cricket since Baz took over. I think the mentality of the team under Baz suits the way I like to play my cricket.
“I just couldn’t wait to get back and actually do it without having to be prompted to do it.”
Meanwhile, Left-arm spinner Liam Dawson has replaced injured Shoaib Bashir in England’s 14-player squad for the fourth test in the five-match series against India, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Tuesday.
Bashir suffered a fracture to his finger in his non-bowling left hand while attempting a low catch during his own bowling during the third test on Saturday. He is set for surgery later this week.
The 21-year-old came back to bowl on Monday, taking India’s last wicket to ensure a thrilling 22-run victory for the hosts at Lord’s, securing a 2-1 lead in the series.
Dawson has not played a test match since July 2017 but has represented England in white-ball cricket since then, last appearing during the Twenty20 series against West Indies last month.
The 35-year-old has played five matches for Hampshire in the T20 Blast this month, taking five wickets.
The fourth test against India begins on July 23 in Manchester.
England squad: Ben Stokes (Captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.
(Reuters)
