He has been named in the England squad for the second Test against India.
Former England player David Gower has opined that Ben Stokes and Co. should opt for an unchanged side while taking on India in the second Test match of the series. The team has recently defeated India in the opening fixture of the five-match series, and he does not want to change that winning combination by including pacer Jofra Archer.
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Gower believes that England Should not hurry to return the ace pacer to action. Archer has been struggling with some injuries, lately. Notably, the pacer has not played a Test since 2021. He has been facing some troubles with a recurring stress fracture in his back and a similar injury in his elbow.
Though the seamer participated in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 and played 12 matches, he picked up a minor thumb injury there which restricted him from taking part in the last two league-stage fixtures of the Rajasthan Royals.
However, after his recovery from the back and elbow issues, the pacer recently made a comeback last week. He featured for the Sussex in a County Championship match against Durham where he bowled 18 overs and scalped a wicket.
“You have got to face the facts that he has been injured, he has been operated on, the elbow has been troublesome. You need to see him play three or four games maybe for Sussex and see how he is getting on to make sure that there is no reaction to bowling 20 odd overs a day,” said Gower while speaking to Sky Sports News.
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The former player also weighed in on the importance of not altering a winning combination as he felt that England should carry on with the same playing XI at the Edgbaston Stadium.
“There is also the adage that you don’t have to change a winning side. I would not be rushing Jofra in at this stage,” he added.
Captain Stokes’ call to bowl first on a bright and sunny day and a batting-favoured wicket in the Headingley Stadium faced criticism from several former England players. But the decision ultimately proved to be right as England chased the target of 364 in the fourth innings to win the match by five wickets.
Despite five centuries from the Indian side, the English bowlers brought them back into the game by swiftly removing the lower order in both innings. India went from 447/5 to 471 all-out in the first innings. They followed it up in the second innings too and went from 333/4 to 364 all-out in just 11 overs.
However, England would look to increase their lead before heading into the iconic Lord’s Stadium. The second Test will kick off on July 2, in Birmingham.
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