Stokes Wins Toss and Elects to Bat as Archer Returns for Crucial Lord’s Test
England captain Ben Stokes has broken from his recent pattern, winning the toss and choosing to bat first against India in the crucial third Test at Lord’s. The series stands level at 1-1 after India’s commanding victory at Edgbaston.
The major team news sees Jofra Archer making his long-awaited Test return after 1,595 days away, replacing Josh Tongue. India welcome back their pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who comes in for Prasidh Krishna. Both teams have made just one change from the second Test.
Stokes, who has won all three tosses in the series, explained his decision was influenced by the overhead conditions. “Lord’s is bathed in sunshine and temperatures are set to pass 30 degrees Celsius this week,” he said. This marks only the third time Stokes has opted to bat first in home Tests as captain.
The Pace Battery Returns
Archer’s comeback is nothing short of remarkable. The 30-year-old fast bowler hasn’t played Test cricket since February 2021, missing 53 Tests across 18 series due to persistent back and elbow injuries. His last appearance in front of a home crowd in Test cricket was during his explosive debut summer in 2019.
“It’s really exciting,” Stokes said about Archer’s return. “The way he has handled the injury setbacks over that period has been very commendable. I think Jof is going to be pretty proud of himself that he’s managed to get himself back here.”
For India, Bumrah’s return after a rest at Edgbaston adds serious firepower to their attack. The pace ace was electric at Headingley, where every delivery seemed to threaten a wicket. His partnership with Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep, who shared 17 wickets at Edgbaston, suddenly makes India’s seam unit look formidable.
A Pivotal Contest at Cricket’s Home
India’s captain Shubman Gill admitted he was “a bit confused” about what he would have done at the toss. “I think I would have bowled first. If there’s anything in the wicket, it’s on the first day and in the first session,” he said.
Gill arrives at Lord’s in sensational form, having scored 585 runs at 146.25 in the series so far, including scores of 147, 269, and 161. The young captain needs just 18 more runs to surpass Rahul Dravid’s record of 602 runs by an Indian batter in a series in England.
The pitch at Lord’s still had a covering of live grass on match eve, which might offer assistance to the seamers early on. However, with clear skies forecast throughout the week, batting conditions are expected to improve as the match progresses.
England’s recent preference for bowling first has been well-documented – Stokes had chosen to bowl in 10 of his previous 12 home Tests as captain. But with the series delicately poised and both teams welcoming back their strike bowlers, this Lord’s Test promises to be a thriller regardless of who bats first.
