IND vs ENG 3rd Test Playing 11: England announce lineup for Lord's Encounter, Jofra Archer Returns

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England have announced the return of pace sensation Jofra Archer to their playing XI for the third Test against India, starting Thursday at Lord's Cricket Ground.

This marks Archer's first Test appearance since February 2021, a significant moment for the 30-year-old fast bowler who has been sidelined by a series of injuries, including stress fractures and elbow issues. His inclusion comes as England aim to regain momentum in the five-match series, currently level at 1-1 after a 336-run defeat at Edgbaston.

Jofra Archer, who has 42 wickets in 13 Tests, was named in England's squad for the second Test but did not feature due to workload management and personal reasons. Head coach Brendon McCullum expressed excitement about Archer's return, stating, "Jofra is looking fit, strong, and ready to go. He's buzzing, and we all know what he's capable of achieving."

Former England seamer James Anderson also backed Archer's inclusion, urging selectors to "unleash" him at Lord's, where Archer made a memorable Ashes debut in 2019. Archer's return is a major boost for England, with his raw pace and ability to generate bounce seen as a potential game-changer against India's in-form batting lineup, led by Shubman Gill. However, concerns remain about Archer's fitness, given his limited red-ball cricket in recent years.

England's playing XI sees Archer replacing Josh Tongue, while Gus Atkinson also comes in for Brydon Carse, who struggled in the second Test.

IND vs ENG: England Playing 11 for 3rd Test

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir.

What is India's Team News for 3rd Test?

India have Jasprit Bumrah lined up for a return at Lord's. The star pacer was left out due to workload management but is available for the match. Bumrah is likely to replace Prasidh Krishna, while the visitors may not consider any more changes. Akash Deep, who was excellent in the last match, is set to keep his place. At the moment, the series is nicely poised and a win at Lord's would give either team a huge advantage. India do have a decent record in recent times at Lord's and will be aiming to replicate that in this crucial encounter.