The Albany Gazette - Archer misses out as England unchanged for second India Test

Ben Stokes' men won the opening match of a five-Test series by five wickets last week after chasing down 371 on the final day at Headingley.

Archer has not played Test cricket since February 2021 but had been called into the squad after bowling his first red-ball overs for four years in Sussex's County Championship draw against Durham last week.

However, the 30-year-old was forced to miss Monday's training session due to a family emergency.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said Archer would rejoin the team in Birmingham on Tuesday.

Barbados-born Archer burst onto the scene in 2019, hailed as a key weapon for England in their search for genuine pace to unsettle opponents.

He bowled the decisive super over in England's 50-over World Cup win over New Zealand at Lord's in 2019 and took 22 wickets in four Tests that followed against Australia in the drawn Ashes series.

But Archer was dogged by an elbow injury first sustained in 2020 that required multiple operations and has also had to overcome a recurring stress fracture in his back, first sustained in 2022.

England are looking to take a 2-0 lead on a ground where India have never won a Test in eight visits.

All eyes will be on whether star bowler Jasprit Bumrah is selected in the India side.

Bumrah is being bedded back into the gruelling Test arena after suffering a back injury in the final match of a 3-1 series loss to Australia in January.

India had committed to fielding the 31-year-old in just three of the matches against England.

But India coach Gautam Gambhir is under growing pressure after seven defeats in 11 Tests since he took charge last year.

England team

Ben Stokes (capt), Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wkt), Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes

(W.Walker--TAG)