Jofra Archer Can Help England Rattle Impressive India, Says Stuart Broad

Jofra Archer Can Help England Rattle Impressive India, Says Stuart Broad (Image Source: Twitter)

Stuart Broad believes a Test cricket return for Jofra Archer could help England hit back against India after the tourists' "borderline perfect" performance at Edgbaston.

England won the series opener with a commanding last-day chase at Headingley but were thrashed in Birmingham, where India won the second Test by a colossal 336 runs.

India captain Shubman Gill led from the front with a mammoth 430 runs as his side levelled the five-Test series at 1-1, with Akash Deep taking 10 wickets in the match.

"Look at this series so far: we've had 10 Test match days and I reckon India have won nine of them," Broad said on his podcast ahead of the first day of the third match at Lord's on Thursday.

"They are going to be way stronger because they're bringing the best bowler in the world (Jasprit Bumrah) back in on the back of a performance that was borderline perfect. That's a pretty strong place to be.

"When you get such a one-sided result it's easy to be really critical of the other team but I'd lean against that, India were just superb."

Archer burst onto the international scene in 2019, starring in England's 50-over World Cup triumph and drawn Ashes series.

But the 30-year-old played the last of his 13 Tests in February 2021 and this season has bowled just 18 first-class overs for county side Sussex.

"His attributes are amazing. He's tall, incredibly athletic, gets bounce and pace and he does move the ball," said Broad of Archer.

"Time has made him more exciting as well. When he's not been around for a huge amount of time you want to tune in and see what's coming."

Broad believes Archer's extra speed could even stop Gill's remarkable run-spree in its tracks.

"You can picture it now, Jofra at the Pavilion End, nipping it down the slope, Shubman Gill (lbw) on the shin. That's why he's being brought back in."

Meanwhile, India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak told reporters on Tuesday: "It will be a challenge, Jofra coming in. There might be a couple of bowling changes in the England team, but that we don't know."

England's opening bowlers, Brydon Carse and Chris Woakes, have toiled so far, taking a combined 9-605 across the opening two matches.