England Urged to Unleash Archer in Crucial Lord’s Test Against India

England are being strongly encouraged to bring Jofra Archer back into the Test arena for the pivotal third match against India at Lord’s on Thursday, as the five-match ICC World Test Championship series hangs in the balance at 1-1.

Veteran pacer James Anderson has publicly called for Archer’s inclusion, insisting that the time to gamble on the fast bowler’s fitness is now, not later in the series. Archer, who last played a Test over four years ago, recently returned to red-ball action with Sussex and was part of the England squad during the second Test at Edgbaston, which England lost by a heavy 336-run margin.

“You could keep trying to build his overs up and play him later in the series, but it could be too late by then,” Anderson said on the Tailenders Podcast. “I just feel like you’ve got to play him. It’s too crucial a game not to.”

England head coach Brendon McCullum confirmed Archer is fit and available, saying the 29-year-old is “looking strong” and is “buzzing” to be back with the team.

“We all know what he’s capable of achieving in Test cricket,” McCullum noted. “We hope that when the opportunity does arrive for him, he’s able to recapture and also improve on what he’s been able to do already.”

Alongside Archer, England are weighing up the inclusion of fast bowler Gus Atkinson and back-up batter Jacob Bethell. Atkinson has been sidelined since injuring his hamstring in May, while Bethell—who has only three Test caps—would serve as a batting option rather than a replacement for first-choice spinner Shoaib Bashir.

“He [Bethell] wants to keep improving his bowling... but it’s not something we’d look at from a tactical point of view to do,” McCullum added.

As the series intensifies and momentum swings toward India, all eyes are on England’s selection strategy—and whether Archer will be the x-factor return at the Home of Cricket.

England squad for third Test at Lord’s: 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, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.