England have announced their squad for the second Test against India, set to begin on July 2 at Edgbaston, with the notable inclusion of pacer Jofra Archer. The 30-year-old fast bowler is set to make his first Test appearance since February 2021, marking a much-anticipated return to the red-ball format after over four years.
Archer, who has taken 42 wickets in 13 Tests at an average of 31.04—including best figures of 6/45—recently featured in a four-day county match for Sussex against Durham at Chester-le-Street. He impressed with figures of 1/32 from 18 overs and a handy 31 with the bat, demonstrating readiness for a return to international action.
Apart from Archer’s inclusion, the rest of the England squad remains unchanged from the side that secured a thrilling five-wicket win in the opening Test at Headingley, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
The first Test at Leeds was a high-scoring encounter. Put in to bat first, India piled up 471 runs on the back of centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal (101), captain Shubman Gill (147), and Rishabh Pant (134). England responded strongly with Ollie Pope scoring 106, Harry Brook narrowly missing a century with 99, and Ben Duckett adding 62, bringing them to 465—just six runs short. Jasprit Bumrah led India’s bowling attack with five wickets.
India then built a formidable second-innings lead, posting 364 runs courtesy of KL Rahul’s 137 and another century by Pant (118). Despite a dominant position, India’s lower order collapsed, limiting their lead to 370. England’s Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue claimed three wickets each to stem the flow of runs.
Chasing 371, England’s opening pair Zak Crawley (65) and Ben Duckett (149) laid a solid foundation with a 188-run stand. India briefly clawed back into the contest with quick wickets, reducing England to 253/4. However, a composed partnership between Joe Root (53*) and debutant Jamie Smith (44*) guided the hosts to a successful chase with five wickets to spare. Duckett was named Player of the Match for his match-defining knock.
England Squad for 2nd Test:
Ben Stokes (captain), Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.