Jofra Archer has bagged 42 wickets in 13 matches in Test cricket.
This English side under Brendon McCullum is just different gravy. If a team has won 16 of their last 21 games at home, they are surely doing something right. And you just can’t keep them out of the game, even without Jofra Archer. Even if you have put 587 runs on the board in the first innings. England chased down 371 on Day 5 in the first Test at Headingley. They did not just chase the total, but they did it quite clinically, with five wickets in hand. However, at stumps on Day 2 of the second Test, the Three Lions are in a spot of bother. Trailing by 510 runs, they are 77/3 with Joe Root and Harry Brook in the middle.
154/8
128/10
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98/3
96/3
BSCU All Stars beat CC Yullis-MU Trakia by 7 wickets
127/3
125/3
BSCU – MU Plovdiv beat CC Yullis-MU Trakia by 7 wickets
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96/10
90/2
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332/4
134/10
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England Assistant Coach Jeetan Patel attended the Press Conference after the day’s play, and seemed quite positive about England being able to turn the tables in the second Test. He expressed that three days are yet to be played and anything can happen. Moreover, he also credited Indian skipper Shubman Gill for his wonderful knock of 269.
“Pretty tough day. You have to give it to Shubman. Till yesterday, it looked like it could be a lot different. We will try another way to get us through. Three days of cricket are left. On such a fast scoring pitch, anything can happen”, said Patel.
Jeetan Patel also spilled the beans on yet another important topic. The inclusion of Jofra Archer has been in the talks for quite some time. The pacer played county cricket after a long time and was drafted into the side after the first Test had over. However, captain Ben Stokes didn’t feel the need to change the winning combination and hence went in with the same side at Edgbaston. On the other hand, Gus Atkinson was ruled out before the first Test due to an injury. And England’s assistant coach has sparked rumours of his return to the side very soon.
“Yes, we do have a gap of a few days after this match, but we do have others coming back – Archery [Jofra Archer] and Gus [Atkinson]. That’s the beauty of having depth”, Patel concluded.
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The availability of Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson would make a huge difference to the English side, considering their inexperienced bowling line-up currently. The addition of the likes of Archer would surely add some spice to the bowling unit and help the English extract some pace and bounce from the wicket as well.
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