James Anderson wants Edgbaston bench-warmer to return to XI before it's too late in series: ‘You could keep trying…’

Anderson warned that delaying the pacer's inclusion any further could prove costly, insisting England must unleash him at Lord's before it’s too late.

Bowling legend James Anderson asserted that England don't have any option and must pick Jofra Archer in the Playing XI for the Lord's Test after losing at Edgbaston. England's pace attack struggled significantly on the flat Edgbaston pitch, failing to make an impact as India amassed huge totals of 578 in the first innings and 427/6 declared in the second. This lack of penetration from the bowlers allowed India to dominate the contest, culminating in a resounding 336-run victory that emphatically levelled the series.

James Anderson warns England to pick Jofra Archer otherwise it will be too late. (@BCCI X)

After the crushing defeat, England are expected to make some changes into their bowling attack with Jofra Archer sitting on the bench.

Anderson warned that delaying Archer's inclusion any further could prove costly, insisting England must unleash him at Lord's before it’s too late.

“You could keep trying to build his overs up and play him later in the series, but it could be too late by then,” Anderson was quoted as saying on the BBC’s Tailenders Podcast. “I think he will play.”

The veteran pacer noted that Archer seems to have regained his red-ball rhythm, having spent time playing for Sussex and being around the team during the Edgbaston Test.

“He’s played one game for Sussex, he was around the team at Edgbaston and bowled a bit. I just feel like you’ve got to play him. It’s too crucial a game not to,” the England great added.

Following England's comprehensive defeat at Edgbaston, head coach Brendon McCullum indicated that Jofra Archer is highly likely to feature in the upcoming matches of the Test series. McCullum confirmed that Archer is "looking fit, strong, and ready to go," and will be "in calculations" for selection, hinting at a potential return for the third Test at Lord's.

“Jofra is looking fit, he’s looking strong, he’s looking ready to go, and he’ll come into calculations,” he was quoted as saying by ICC. “It’s hugely exciting. He’s buzzing as well. He’s obviously been through his injuries and his time out of Test cricket.”

“We all know what he’s capable of achieving in Test cricket and we hope that when the opportunity does arrive for him, he’s able to recapture and also improve on what he’s been able to do already in that form of the game,” McCullum added.