England have pulled Gus Atkinson back into the squad for the third Test, starting Thursday at Lord’s, after the Surrey quick proved his hamstring is no longer an issue. The recall gives Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum four fresh seam choices – Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Sam Cook and Jamie Overton – should they decide two taxing Tests have left the regulars a little jaded.
Across Nottingham and Edgbaston the frontline trio of Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue and Chris Woakes have each sent down more than 75 overs. Those figures are respectable but, given the short gap between matches, also slightly alarming. Stokes did not hide from the fact a reshuffle is on the cards. “It’s no secret that we have spent some time in the field and bowled some overs in the first two games, and we’ll have to see how everyone pulls up over the next two days,” Ben Stokes said. “With it being a quick turnaround, there probably will be a decision we have to make given how everyone does pull up after this game.”
Archer, of course, is the name that stirs most interest. The fast bowler has not played a Test since early 2021 yet has been sending down 10- to 12-ball bursts during each interval at Edgbaston, the ball fizzing nicely. McCullum sounded optimistic without quite nailing anything down. “We’ll let this one settle, and when we get to [Lord’s] we’ll have a good think about it,” McCullum told the BBC’s Test Match Special. Asked directly if Archer is physically ready, he replied: “He’s fit and ready to go. Obviously the other boys have had two Test matches on the spin now, so you’d anticipate you would make a change at some stage with the line-up, and Jofra is one we’ll look at.” Stokes added simply: “Everyone’s in consideration for the game at Lord’s.”
While England were thumped by 336 runs at Edgbaston – their third-heaviest loss since Stokes became full-time captain – nobody in the camp is pushing the panic button. “We’ve obviously had some unbelievable wins and some bad defeats,” Stokes said. “I feel I’m quite good – and the team is – at staying level throughout those ups and downs.”
He expanded on that steady approach, insisting the side must park events in Birmingham and move on quickly. “That is so important in a series where we knew coming in that it wasn’t going to be easy… We have to wipe this one under the carpet as quickly as we can, because Lord’s day one will be coming around pretty quickly. We will have one or two days to get the bodies right and recover, and all of a sudden, we will be out there flipping the coin.”
England’s attack did struggle to prise out India a second time, but Stokes was generous towards the tourists rather than critical of his own. “You do have to appreciate how well India played with the bat,” Stokes said. “[They were] obviously pretty favourable conditions if someone got in; two of our lads showed that this week… You are allowed to let your opposition play well, and they definitely did that.”
Whether the solution now is outright pace – Archer, Atkinson or Overton – or Cook’s relentless nibble, selection will become clear once the bowlers have a day off and Lord’s surfaces on Wednesday. Either way, England know they must find 20 wickets on a ground that traditionally offers something early and then flattens out. At least they have options.
