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“Certainly Not Limiting Him To...”: Ben Stokes Confirms Jofra Archer’s Full-Fledged Return

Rajgeeta Yadav

Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes [Source: @ICC/X.com]Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes [Source: @ICC/X.com]

India and England are all set to face each other in the third Test match of the Anderson-Tendulkar series. The match will begin on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at the famous Lord’s cricket ground in London. Both teams are currently tied, with one win each from the first two Tests. This match promises to be an exciting decider.

England recently announced their playing XI for the game, and the big news is the return of fast bowler Jofra Archer. He is coming back after a very long break, more than four years since his last Test match in February 2021. 

Archer missed a lot of cricket due to injuries, especially in red-ball formats, which are the longer versions of the game like Test cricket. His last Test was also against India, making this comeback even more special.

Archer replaces Josh Tongue in the team. England hopes that his return will strengthen their bowling attack, especially after the heavy 336-run loss they suffered in the second Test at Edgbaston. Archer was in line to play the first Test but was sidelined with a thumb injury. Though he was in the squad for the second Test, he did not make the final playing eleven.

No Restrictions On Archer’s Bowling, Says Stokes

England captain Ben Stokes is thrilled to have Archer back. More importantly, Stokes made it clear that Archer will not be limited to short bowling spells. Often, teams manage bowlers’ workloads carefully, especially after injuries. But Stokes said as quoted by the Hindu,

 “That’ll be a call made in the moment, as it is with anyone. If someone’s looking dangerous, you might give them an extra over or two. But there are no set plans or restrictions — certainly not limiting him to four- or five-over spells. We’ll see how it plays out on the day.” 

Archer’s fitness has been a major concern during his recovery, but Stokes praised how well Archer managed it. 

“It is really exciting. I think it’s great for English fans, but also for Jofra. It’s been a long time coming for him. I think the way in which he’s handled the injury setbacks over that period has been very commendable. And then the way in which he’s got himself back onto the field and playing cricket over a long period of time now,” said Stokes.

Lord’s is a special place for Archer. It is here that he famously bowled the super over to help England win the 2019 World Cup. Later that summer, he made a memorable Test debut at Lord’s, thrilling fans with his fast bowling against Australia.

Before returning to the England team, Archer played a County Championship game for Sussex against Durham. This was his first first-class match in four years, where he bowled 18 overs and took one wicket for 32 runs.