If you’re a cricket aficionado tuning into the much-talked-about second Test between England and India at Edgbaston, the headlines are focused on Jofra Archer‘s “comeback”. The English fast bowler is officially back in the fold, and of course, everyone’s asking if this means trouble for India. Spoiler—arguably not as much trouble as you may think. Archer is a world-class bowler, but there are a handful of reasonable reasons why Team India shouldn’t be rattled about his return…yet. Let us elaborate.
Archer’s Injury Comeback Means He’s Still Finding His Feet
The first point to note is that Archer has not played a Test since 2021 and has also had quite a few injuries in that time, it is not easy to play Tests again after a long time away from the game, it is not just a case of showing up and playing, the body takes time to get its mind into a Test match to play the long format, especially as a fast bowler that relies on speed and bounce.
Archer’s most recent County Championship outing for Sussex against Durham was decent but hardly a sign that he is back at his best. Bowling 18 overs in a game where he had plenty of bowling resources means England looks to be bringing him back gently. The workload in Test cricket, particularly against the Indian batting lineup, is heavy, and the likely flat pitch at Edgbaston they will rock.
Archer will no doubt start to feel the effects of the longer form of the sport, the longer the match goes on.
India’s Batting Lineup Is More Than Ready to Tackle Archer
The Indian batting line-up was strong and very solid in the last Test series. With a couple of blows, they were able to score runs fairly regularly, demonstrating good technique when faced with England’s pace attack and good patience. Not a side that gets flustered, even when faced with someone as quick and ferocious as Archer.
Interestingly, India has fought Archer in Tests before, but never in English conditions. That sounds scary, I guess, but, based on the current form and confidence of India, it’s probably more an ability to adapt to English conditions. Archer’s pace, bounce, and seam movement are all effective weapons; however, if India concentrates on going back to how they should play and simply play straight, leave the good ones, and punish the bad ones, they should be able to nullify his effectiveness.
Edgbaston’s Pitch Just Isn’t Archer’s Best Friend
Here’s where we speak of conditions, cricket is just as much about the pitch as it is the players. Edgbaston is supposed to be a batting heaven, with flat surfaces that offer no help to fast bowlers and little to more bounce-orientated bowlers such as Archer.
With no natural carry and seam, Archer will need to produce the right balls to be disruptive to Indian batsmen, something that is bearing in mind he is returning from injury, it not great for a pacer.
Now, if you compare Edgbaston with the likes of Lord’s or Headingley, where you feel the pitch offers considerably more help, you can see why Edgbaston is not to Archer’s advantage. England’s current pace attack—Brydon Carse and Chris Woakes, for example—may even be more suited to these conditions, with Archer, perhaps, in terms of reputation, enhancing the attack, rather than changing it in any meaningful way for this Test.
Archer’s return certainly adds a bit more spice to the contest, but do not write off India. Will Archer be up to the challenge and prove those doubting him wrong? Or will the batsmen from India keep rolling on? Either way, it promises to be an enthralling Test.
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