Massive boost for England! Head coach reveals new weapon 'ready to go' for 3rd Test

England caput manager Brendon McCullum has hinted that Jofra Archer could marque a instrumentality to the Test broadside for the 3rd lucifer against India astatine Lord’s, acceptable to commence connected Thursday. Archer, who was portion of the squad for the 2nd Test astatine Edgbaston but did not feature, is being considered arsenic England look to freshen up their gait onslaught pursuing a dense 336-run decision that levelled the bid astatine 1-1. “He’s acceptable to go,” McCullum said astir the explicit pacer, who past played a Test successful February 2021. “It’s hugely exciting, he’s buzzing arsenic well. He’s evidently been done his injuries and his clip retired of Test cricket, but we each cognize what he’s susceptible of achieving and we anticipation that erstwhile the accidental does get for him, he's capable to recapture and amended connected what he's been capable to bash already,” added the caput manager arsenic quoted by AFP. The 30-year-old Archer has played conscionable 1 first-class lucifer this season, bowling 18 overs for Sussex, but remains a cardinal limb England are earnestly considering deploying astatine Lord’s. India, meanwhile, person already confirmed that gait spearhead Jasprit Bumrah volition instrumentality aft being rested for the 2nd Test.

McCullum besides addressed England’s rotation options, backing Shoaib Bashir to proceed contempt an costly outing successful the archetypal 2 Tests, wherever helium has taken 8 wickets astatine an mean adjacent to 60.

“We cognize he’s not the finished nonfiction yet, but I consciousness similar he’s getting amended and better. As the bid wears on, I deliberation we’ll spot him play rather a large hand,” McCullum said.

The manager besides clarified that Jacob Bethell, though a much susceptible batsman than Bashir, won’t beryllium considered arsenic a rotation replacement. “He’s a batting option. He’s the adjacent 1 successful if thing happens, but we don’t crowbar anything.” With 3 matches remaining, McCullum expressed anticipation for a amended equilibrium betwixt bat and ball, aft the archetypal 2 Tests produced 11 centuries led by Indian skipper Shubman Gill, who has already scored 585 runs successful the series.