The much-needed comeback of Jofra Archer is expected to happen in the second Test against India at Edgbaston. The speedster, who is set to play a Test match after a long four-year gap, will surely bolster the hosts' bowling attack, which is a bit short of experience, barring Chris Woakes. However, not everyone is convinced about the right-arm pacer's grand comeback. Former England captain Nasser Hussain has stated that while is happy to see Archer making a Test comeback, he believes playing the pacer in the starting XI is 'too much of a risk this week."
The speedster proved his fitness in a County game playing for Sussex by bowling 18 overs. The selectors, as well skipper Ben Stokes, are extremely eager to draft Archer back into the team, more so to give the hosts a 1-0 lead in the five-match Test series.
“Firstly, you have to say it’s good news for Archer and England in that Jof must have been through so much with those [elbow and back injuries], the rehab, the pain, the mental torment of continually getting injured and making comebacks, so it’s great to see him back in the squad, he hasn’t played a Test match for four years. Fundamentally, if you’re an England fan, you should be pleased to see Jofra Archer back in a red ball squad,” Hussain said on Sky Sports News.
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But he went on to add: “I think it’s too much of a risk this week, but it may have gone so well — I don’t know Jofra Archer’s body — it may have gone so well that they say ‘we’ll play you this week’. Then the problem is who do you leave out?”
Jofra Archer should ideally be bought in the fourth Test: Nasser Hussain
The expert also suggested the ideal scenario to bring Archer into the playing XI is after the third Lord's Test. For now, Hussain feels playing the pacer in the second Test is a very big gamble.
“I do think it is a gamble worth taking, I just don’t know if it’s worth taking this week. I would do it a week after at Lord’s. He’s only just made his first-class comeback for Sussex for four years this week, where he bowled 18 overs. When Archer’s fully fit he is one of the best in the world. He is absolutely box office, he has that raw pace. But unfortunately for him, he hasn’t been fully fit for a very long time. So it is a gamble.”
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The former England believes that playing Archer in the second Test and then the third in the Lord's Test might be too big a load for the pacer's body.
“The problem with [playing him at Lord’s] is then he’ll have played three games in three weeks, that Lord’s Test his third having not played for four years,” Hussain said. “What is the hurry when we’ve waited so long? Why not wait another week just to make sure?”
For the unversed, the England pacer last played a Test match in 2021. If he ends up playing the second Edgbaston Test, it will be huge for Archer, who only recently made his first-class return for Sussex last week against Durham, where he bowled 18 overs and picked a solitary wicket.
