England Squad

Fast bowler Jofra Archer has returned to England's Test team after four years and is expected to play in the second Test against India in Birmingham on July 2.

The right-arm pacer recently came back to competitive cricket after recovering from a thumb injury. His last appearance in a Test match was in 2021.

Archer missed the limited-overs series against the West Indies due to his injury but took part in a four-day match for Sussex against Durham earlier this week. In that game, the 30-year-old scored 31 runs and took one wicket for 32 runs in 18 overs, showing signs of getting back to form.

He last represented England during the ICC Champions Trophy earlier this year. Known for his strong debut in Test cricket, Archer has taken 42 wickets in 13 matches so far.

His return strengthens the England squad led by Ben Stokes, who are already ahead 1-0 in the five-match series after a thrilling win in Headingley.

Earlier, ahead of the first Test against India at Headingley, Jamie Overton had made a surprise return to England’s Test squad, stepping in after Gus Atkinson was ruled out with a hamstring injury. Despite limited red-ball action recently due to injuries and IPL commitments, Overton leapfrogged others, including Matthew Potts, in the pecking order.

His recent return from injury including a broken finger sustained in an ODI against West Indies hasn't stopped selectors from backing his ability to make an impact again.

Meanwhile, Jacob Bethell has returned to the squad following his IPL stint. The left-hander impressed in his debut series in New Zealand, scoring three fifties at No. 3, which put pressure on established names like Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope. However, both Crawley and Pope responded with centuries against Zimbabwe, and also made impressive scores in the first Test against India.

Chris Woakes is also back in the mix after recovering from an ankle injury, joining Brydon Carse, who missed the Zimbabwe match with minor niggle. Sam Cook, who debuted in that match, remains in the squad but is likely to serve as backup. Josh Tongue, having missed the 2024 season due to injury, claimed seven wickets in the first Test against India.

Matthew Potts appears to be the most unfortunate omission. Despite consistent performances including 36 wickets at an average under 30 in 10 Tests and being named in squads across all formats this summer, he continues to be overlooked. He was even part of the Zimbabwe series squad but did not make the playing XI.

England’s Test outfit looks different from the side that suffered a 4-1 series loss in India 18 months ago. Veterans like James Anderson have since retired, and others such as Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes and Ollie Robinson are no longer considered for selection. India, too, are undergoing a generational shift. With Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and R Ashwin having retired, the team now finds itself under the new leadership of Shubman Gill. With England 1-0 up in the five-Test series, the second Test begins in Birmingham followed by matches in London, Manchester and concluding at The Oval.

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes.