JOFRA ARCHER made an early breakthrough on his return to Test cricket at Lord’s on Friday, while India captain Shubman Gill was dismissed for a low score on the second day of the third Test.
Playing his first Test in over four years, Archer dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal with just his third ball. Later, Gill, who had scored 585 runs in four innings in the series including three centuries, was caught behind for 16.
India finished the day on 145-3 in response to England’s first-innings total of 387, trailing by 242 runs. KL Rahul was unbeaten on 53, with Rishabh Pant not out on 19.
Archer, who had impressed at Lord’s during the 2019 50-over World Cup final and made his Test debut at the same ground that year, bowled Jaiswal with a 90 mph full-length delivery that was edged to Harry Brook at second slip.
The 30-year-old celebrated with a roar as the Lord’s crowd joined in.
'X-factor' Archer
Archer’s return comes amid England’s hopes of him playing a major role in the 2025/26 Ashes series in Australia. He bowled a tight 10-over spell on Friday, conceding just 22 runs and consistently bowling over 90 mph.
"The noise, the pure joy everyone has seeing him (Archer) back in whites, everyone's genuine excitement to see him playing Test cricket again, it created a great atmosphere," Joe Root told Sky Sports after the day’s play.
"He's X-factor," added Root, who earlier scored a century and took a new Test record with his 211th catch as an outfielder.
England captain Ben Stokes, who had suffered a groin strain while batting on Thursday, returned to bowl without any visible discomfort. He dismissed Karun Nair for 40, who edged a delivery to first slip where Root held a one-handed left catch, giving him sole possession of the record he previously shared with Rahul Dravid.
Chris Woakes, who had taken only three wickets in the series at an average of nearly 97, got Gill out for 16. The India skipper edged to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who was standing up to the stumps, leaving India at 107-3.
Earlier in the day, Jasprit Bumrah took 5-74 in 27 overs to help bowl England out after lunch. His performance earned him a place on the Lord’s honours board.
Bumrah delivered a key spell of 3 wickets for 1 run in seven balls, dismissing Stokes, Root, and Woakes.
"It's really special," Bumrah told the BBC. "We don't come here (to Lord's) very often, maybe every four years... Being on the honours board feels good."
However, Brydon Carse frustrated India with a 56-run innings. He shared an eighth-wicket stand of 84 with Smith, who made 51 after being dropped by Rahul in the slips when on five.
Smith had earlier made 184 not out and 88 in England’s loss to India in the second Test at Edgbaston, where the visitors won by 336 runs to level the five-match series at 1-1. Bumrah did not play that match.
Root, who resumed the day on 99, reached his century with a boundary off Bumrah. It was his 37th Test hundred, placing him fifth on the all-time list, led by Sachin Tendulkar with 51.
"I don't think I've been 99 not out overnight before," said Root. "I woke up in the night and couldn't get back to sleep."
Stokes added just five runs to his overnight score of 39 before being bowled by Bumrah. The next ball, Woakes edged behind for a golden duck to stand-in wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, who replaced the injured Pant.
Carse survived the hat-trick ball but was later bowled by Siraj, ending England’s innings. He had earlier brought up his 50 off 77 balls with a six.
(With inputs from agencies)
