Jofra Archer was back at Edgbaston on Tuesday, easing through a no-nonsense nets session after missing Monday’s training because of a family matter. A few meaningful overs on the Colts Ground – including a burst at Ben Stokes – provided the sort of reminder fast bowlers like to give when they are left out of the XI on match-eve.
Stokes, late for his 11.15 press conference after squeezing in an extra knock, didn’t need convincing. Archer, after all, has played only one Test under the current captain and remains central to any long-term planning.
“I know Jof, obviously, a lot better than you guys sat down here,” Stokes said. “I’ve been in constant communication with him since the injuries. And I said it a few times – he was so determined to get back and play Test cricket or to make himself available to be selected. So, look, he didn’t need any more reason to find any more desire. He loves playing cricket. He loves playing for England.”
Sussex offered Archer overs in last week’s Championship match against Durham, his first red-ball outing since May 2021. In theory he could have nipped back to Hove for more bowling against Warwickshire – an ECB regulation allows unused squad players to re-join county fixtures when two days remain – but England ruled that out on Monday. Instead, Archer, Sam Cook, Jamie Overton and spare batter Jacob Bethell all stayed with the national squad.
It is not just a workload calculation. Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum believe the so-called “culture piece” – horrible phrase, useful concept – matters when easing a player back into Test cricket. A three-day stint around the group may do more than another 18 overs with a Kookaburra ball on a flat deck.
“For me, personally, and Baz as well, we felt if he didn’t play it was important to have Jof around the group, around the people, to get him back into the environment again. Having him back in the squad is great but we want him to play a part in the series and going forward with this group,” Stokes told BBC Test Match Special.
“There were benefits to both situations, but how me and Baz think about the time we spend as a group is very important as well. He (Archer) has been playing for a long time. He has bowled a lot of overs. You can’t really control how a first-class game will…”
The thought trailed off, yet the intent was clear enough: England prefer to manage Archer’s return on their own terms, not the county’s.
Around the periphery, Moeen Ali and Andrew Flintoff have been lending coaching hands – Ali on spin specifics, Flintoff on general fast-bowling feel and dressing-room calm. Neither role is formal; both add voices that current players respect. Nothing revolutionary, just another small nudge towards a comfortable, open environment that McCullum and Stokes prize.
Selection for Thursday’s second Test against India is settled, Archer again on standby. If the pitch turns out flatter than expected or bodies creak during the match, he remains the obvious next man in. For now, England’s view is that Archer needs rhythm more than miles. Bowling at elite batters in training, under the medical staff’s eye, supplies that without over-taxing a right elbow that has been through stress fractures and repeated rehab.
Experts differ on whether net sessions truly mimic match strain, yet few doubt Archer’s upside when fully fit. Former England quick Steven Finn, commentating for TMS, put it plainly: “There’s no point rushing him for the sake of one game if you risk losing him for the rest of the summer.”
India, meanwhile, will not complain about an unchanged home side. Their top order looked vulnerable to high pace at Lord’s, but England’s resources still run deep. If Archer stays patient, the third Test at Headingley – venue for that 2019 Ashes spell of 96mph thunderbolts – looms invitingly.
For now, the story is less about when Archer plays and more about how England manage him. A few days in the camp, a couple of fiery spells at his captain, and Stokes’ reminder to everyone else was registered: Archer is close – just not quite yet.
