BACK UP TO SPEED

Jofra ‘buzzing’ for Test return

- By Mike Walters

ENGLAND head coach Brendon McCullum has put Lord’s on standby for a “blockbuster” pace duel between Jofra Archer and Jasprit Bumrah.

After the worst blowout on home soil of the Bazball era, Archer is set to be unleashed for the third Test against India that starts on Thursday, going head-to-head with the world’s No.1-ranked bowler.

The 95mph seamer won the last of his 13 Test caps in 2021, with elbow and back injuries dogging England’s 2019 World Cup final super-over hero.

But the 336-run defeat at Edgbaston, which levelled the series at 1-1, has given McCullum and skipper Ben Stokes reason to shuffle a pace attack carted for 1,014 runs in 234 overs.