This video can not be played
Archer reflects on England victory after his first Test appearance in four years
Jofra Archer exuded pride near the boundary at Lord’s as the crowd, having witnessed a tense encounter, gradually dispersed.
“It has been a long journey, and I can’t begin to describe the volume of criticism I’ve faced online over the past three years or so,” he stated.
The 30-year-old fast bowler made a significant impact upon his return to cricket’s grandest stage after a hiatus of 1,597 days, contributing substantially to England’s dramatic third-Test victory over India.
“It was quite hectic, especially for my first game back,” Archer remarked to Sky Sports.
“I probably bowled more overs than I anticipated, but each one was crucial, so I’m not overly concerned about it.”
Stokes draws on ‘dark places’ in Lord’s heroics
England spinner Bashir out of series with injury
Stokes inspires England to defeat stubborn India
As Archer noted, many had questioned whether his return would ever materialize.
Between Test appearances, Archer underwent multiple surgeries for a stress fracture in his elbow and also recovered from a stress fracture in his back.
He concluded the match with figures of 5-107, the most wickets taken by any England bowler.
“You can witness the change in atmosphere around the ground when he’s announced,” said captain Ben Stokes.
“The crowd’s energy rises, the atmosphere shifts, and the batters sense it when he comes on. The way he has backed up spells will do him the world of good.
“Completing this game unscathed and bowling as he has will be highly beneficial for the mental fortitude required to be a Test match bowler.”
This video can not be played
‘What a moment!’ – Archer dismisses Jaiswal on his third ball back
Any lingering doubts about Archer’s suitability for red-ball cricket were effectively dispelled in his first over of the match, as he dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal with his third delivery.
Having been entrusted with the new ball immediately upon his return, he remained Stokes’ go-to bowler throughout the match.
Despite exhibiting some inconsistency in his new-ball spell during India’s second innings on the fourth evening, which still included another dismissal of Jaiswal, he opened the bowling again on day five with the game hanging in the balance.
Archer responded by dismantling Rishabh Pant’s off stump, just two balls after India’s most dangerous remaining batter had advanced to hit him for four down the ground, and exchanged words with the departing India wicketkeeper.
“I simply told him to charge that one,” Archer recounted.
“He came down the track, which slightly annoyed me, so when the ball nipped down the slope, I was incredibly grateful.”
Former England captain Michael Vaughan lauded Archer’s performance as “a great comeback.”
“He bowled with that pace and X factor,” Vaughan told BBC Test Match Special. “England will be delighted he is back in the team.”
England v India: England steal staggering Lord’s win
England seal thrilling win over India in third Test – as it happened
This video can not be played
‘England needed that’ – Archer bowls Pant
The primary concerns surrounding Archer’s return centered on his body’s ability to withstand the rigors of a five-day game and his capacity to sustain spell after spell, day after day.
If his three wickets in the fourth innings were insufficient to quell doubts, or the prevailing sense that he was England’s most threatening bowler, the underlying statistics further underscored his highly encouraging return.
Firstly, Archer’s pace remained consistent throughout the match.
Having delivered the third-quickest new-ball spell on record by an England bowler on day two, he averaged 87mph on day three, 87.8mph on day four, and 87.4mph on day five.
While he occasionally conserved energy against Ravindra Jadeja to reserve his best deliveries for the tailenders, he still surpassed 90mph with 10 deliveries on the final day.
It is also worth noting that Mohammed Siraj’s dismissal by Shoaib Bashir, which sealed England’s victory in the final session, occurred on the second ball India’s number 11 faced after being struck on the arm by a fierce Archer bouncer.
A deeper analysis of the statistics suggests that Archer became increasingly threatening as the match progressed.
The false shot percentage off his bowling increased from 10% on day two to 19% on day five – another promising indication.
However, completing one Test match does not guarantee that Archer’s injury issues are behind him.
Given their cautious approach thus far – he possessed a detailed PDF outlining the matches he would play over the past 18 months as he built towards full fitness – England must now decide whether Archer can participate in the fourth Test after an eight-day break or be preserved for the fifth at The Oval.
This video can not be played
Vaughan and Dasgupta give their team predictions ahead of vital fourth Test
No decision has been publicly announced as yet. Gus Atkinson will be fit for the Old Trafford Test, and fellow fast bowler Mark Wood remains hopeful of being fit for the series finale.
England’s options are expanding.
“The fact that he demonstrated the willingness to put his body through what he has shows how much playing for England means to him,” said former England captain Sir Alastair Cook.
“He will settle down and become an integral part of the bowling squad that England needs.
“When you have bowlers of that pace, the impact for a captain, not only on the game but the crowd, is so important.”
Archer is back. May his return continue for a long time.
This video can not be played
Archer takes brilliant catch to remove Washington Sundar for a duck
Get cricket news sent straight to your phone
Comments can not be loaded
To load Comments you need to enable JavaScript in your browser