Cricholic
Jofra Archer is set to reignite England’s red-ball attack as he makes a long-awaited return in the 3rd Test against India at Lord’s. The Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy stands evenly poised at 1-1, and both teams are now aiming to take control in what has already been a high-scoring, fiercely contested series.
This time, however, the battle will be fought under extreme conditions. With London experiencing a rare heatwave, even the MCC has allowed members to go jacketless in the Pavilion—something almost unheard of. England need a strong response, while India have arrived with confidence and control after a historic Edgbaston win.
📅 Match Info
Venue: Lord’s, London
Dates: July 10–14, 2025
Time: 11:00 AM Local / 3:30 PM IST
🔥 Jofra returns at the ground that made him famous
Back in 2019, Jofra Archer announced himself to the cricketing world with a searing Ashes debut at Lord’s. His pace and hostility rattled the Aussies, especially Steve Smith. Now, after a long injury layoff, Archer returns to the same venue with England hoping he can recreate that magic.
His inclusion comes at the cost of Josh Tongue, who was England’s leading wicket-taker so far. However, with fatigue setting in after 440+ overs bowled, rotation was inevitable. Ben Stokes confirmed that Brydon Carse has recovered well and will retain his spot, ensuring balance in the pace attack.
🏏 England’s XI: Jofra leads a recharged pace unit
As expected, England have freshened up their bowling line-up. Jofra Archer joins a pace unit featuring Chris Woakes, a proven match-winner at Lord’s. Meanwhile, Shoaib Bashir continues to offer spin support on a surface that might break later in the game.
✅ England Playing XI
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir
🇮🇳 India bring back Bumrah to strengthen attack
India made history at Edgbaston with their first-ever Test win at that venue—without Jasprit Bumrah. Now, with their pace spearhead returning, India’s bowling attack becomes even more formidable. Captain Shubman Gill confirmed his availability, and India will likely go in unchanged unless the conditions demand more batting depth.
Although Mohammed Siraj has bowled extensively, the management expects him to push through. Meanwhile, Washington Sundar offers spin stability. However, if the surface looks seam-friendly, India might consider playing Sai Sudharsan instead to bolster the batting.
✅ India Probable XI
Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Karun Nair, Shubman Gill (C), Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj
🌡️ Lord’s heat, Dukes ball and Jofra’s return in focus
Lord’s may offer more for seamers early on, with visible grass on the surface and overhead conditions favoring swing. However, past games at this venue have shown that batting becomes easier after Day 2. As a result, early wickets will be crucial for either side to gain control.
Another key factor is the Dukes ball. As Rishabh Pant pointed out, the ball has been going soft far too early—sometimes within 30 overs. This leads to inconsistent swing and diminished threat for bowlers. For someone like Jofra, returning from injury, it creates added pressure to extract results with limited assistance.
📊 Did You Know?
- 🏆 India have won three Tests at Lord’s (1986, 2014, 2021)—their most at any ground in England.
- 🧠 Chris Woakes has a 12.91 bowling average and a 42.50 batting average in seven Lord’s Tests.
- 🔥 A total of 3365 runs were scored across the first two matches—the highest ever after two Tests in any series.
- ☀️ The MCC lifted its jacket rule for Pavilion members due to the Lord’s heat—a rare exception.
💬 What They Said
Ben Stokes:
“The series was always going to go back and forth. We performed well at Headingley, and they hit back last week. That’s the beauty of two good teams in a contest.”
Rishabh Pant:
“The Dukes ball is deforming way too early. It messes with planning because once it softens, the behavior is completely different.”
🗓 Remaining Tests – Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025
- 4th Test – Old Trafford: July 23–27
- 5th Test – The Oval: July 31 – August 4
