Jofra Archer has declared himself fit and eager to feature in England’s remaining two Test matches against India after making a sensational return in the third Test at Lord’s.

After an absence of over four years from the Test arena due to persistent elbow and back injuries, Archer played a pivotal role in England’s thrilling 22-run victory, which gave them a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

The 30-year-old made an immediate impact, taking a wicket with just his third delivery on return and later claiming three more in India’s second innings. His comeback performance laid to rest any lingering concerns about his fitness and readiness for the longest format.

Archer bowled 39.2 overs at sustained high speeds, regularly exceeding 87mph, with 41 of his deliveries crossing the 90mph mark—demonstrating that his pace and rhythm remain intact.

Having been gradually reintroduced through white-ball cricket, questions have been raised over whether England might need to manage his workload with the fourth and fifth Tests scheduled back-to-back. But Archer has made his intentions clear.

“I can play the other two if they let me,” he said. “I don’t want to lose this series. I said I wanted to play the Test summer, and I wanted to play the Ashes. One tick is already there, and I’ll do everything in my power to be on that plane in November.”

The Lord’s Test marked Archer’s 14th appearance in Test cricket, with his previous match played in early 2021 against India in Ahmedabad. Since then, his career has been heavily disrupted by injury, with many fearing he may never return to red-ball cricket.

When asked if he ever doubted his return, Archer was confident:

“No. Obviously, it would have been the format that took the longest to come back to, but I always believed I’d get here.”

During his time away, the England Test side underwent a transformation under captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, embracing a bold and aggressive style of play. Since their appointment in 2022, England have won 25 of their 39 Tests.

Archer said the new team ethos is well aligned with his natural playing style:

“The mentality under ‘Baz’ suits the way I like to play cricket. I couldn’t wait to get back and actually play that way without needing to be told to.”

The fourth Test begins at Old Trafford on 23 July. England have made a key change to the squad, recalling spinner Liam Dawson after eight years to replace the injured Shoaib Bashir. Archer will be joined by fast bowlers Gus Atkinson, Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, and Josh Tongue.