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The third Test of the five-match series between England and India will get underway from July 10 at the iconic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London. With the series currently levelled at 1-1, the contest promises to be a high-stakes battle. England had drawn first blood with a remarkable chase at Headingley, while India bounced back emphatically with a dominant win at Edgbaston — a venue where they had never won before in Test history. As both sides aim to take the lead, England have made a notable change to their lineup by bringing back pace spearhead Jofra Archer.
Jofra Archer returns to Test arena after a long gap
After a prolonged absence of over four years from the red-ball format due to recurring elbow and back injuries, Archer is all set to don the whites once again. He replaces Josh Tongue, England’s leading wicket-taker in the series so far with 11 dismissals. Archer had recently marked his first-class return with Sussex, bowling 18 overs, and has now been deemed fit to join the squad at the very venue where he made his Test debut in 2019.
Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse retained despite modest returns
In a move that may raise a few eyebrows, England have stuck with Brydon Carse and Chris Woakes, despite their underwhelming showings in the series so far. While Carse has claimed six wickets from the first two Tests, Woakes has managed just three. Carse was visibly discomforted by a toe niggle during the Edgbaston Test and did not bowl in the latter part of India’s second innings. However, captain Ben Stokes clarified that the issue stemmed from footwear problems rather than a serious injury.
Gus Atkinson, who was sidelined with a hamstring issue during the Zimbabwe series, hasn’t recovered fully and was thus unavailable for selection.
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Batting unit remains unchanged
England’s batting lineup sees no changes, with the core group of Joe Root, Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, and Harry Brook retaining their places. Jamie Smith continues as wicketkeeper, while Shoaib Bashir will lead the spin attack.
With the series level and the action shifting to the spiritual home of cricket, all eyes will be on Archer’s impact and whether England’s gamble with a largely unchanged squad pays off.
England’s XI for the third Test against India: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir
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