McCullum eyes Archer return to reignite England’s attack

England’s head coach Brendon McCullum says Jofra Archer is “ready to go” for the third Test against India at Lord’s. Archer, who last played a Test in 2021, has struggled with injuries for nearly four years. He was part of the squad in the second Test but did not play as India won by 336 runs to level the series 1-1.

Despite bowling only 18 overs in county cricket this season, England is seriously considering Archer’s return. McCullum said the 30-year-old pacer is excited and confident. He praised Archer’s skill and hoped he would deliver if selected at Lord’s, where the third match begins on Thursday.

India, meanwhile, will welcome back their top pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested during the second Test. With a tight match schedule, both teams are expected to make changes in their bowling lineups to stay fresh.

McCullum also ruled out replacing off-spinner Shoaib Bashir with Jacob Bethell, who is better known for his batting. He confirmed Bethell is only a backup batsman. Bashir has taken 8 wickets so far but at a high cost, and McCullum believes he will improve as the series continues.

So far, the five-match series has been full of runs, with 11 centuries already scored. India’s captain Shubman Gill has led the way with 585 runs. McCullum hopes the remaining matches offer a better balance between batting and bowling to keep the series exciting.

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