England is not allowed to decline Jofra Archer for the Second India test – The return of the fast bowler is exciting, but holds him for that of Lord, writes Nasser Hussain

The return of Jofra Archer For the first time in four years a test team from England is exciting news – both for him and the team – after all the injury problems he has had. And for that reason I would not risk him in the second test of next week in Edgbaston, but hold it for the third game at Lords.

I can understand the temptation to immediately bring him back to the start XI, and clearly England would not have chosen him if they were not sure of his fitness after he had come to Sussex against Durham in Chester-le-Street by 18 economic overs.

But there are a few points to consider. First, what is the hurry? Archer has just played his first Red-Ball match since 2021 and Sussex has a champion match that starts on Sunday against Warwickshire in Hove. The Sussex head coach Paul Farbrace said he would not choose him until the third test.

Second, who drops you to make room for him? We all know that Chris Woakes gets better as a series progresses, and there were already signs in the second innings in Headingley that he had improved from the first day. Edgbaston is also his home country.

Josh -Tong India‘s staring brilliant, and that is something England has had a problem with in recent years. And I thought the spell Brydon Carse bowed at the start of the second innings of India, was exceptional. None of those three looks a lot for me.

I get that England wants to take a good look at Jofra before they fly Australia In the winter, but they could do that just as well by having him around the team in Edgbaston and building his loads in Net sessions and during intervals.

England called Jofra Archer in their team for the second test against India next week

Nasser Hussain, however, thinks that he should not be risked and instead should be saved for Lord

Ben Stokes’ side goes into the game at Edgbaston with a 1-0 lead from Headingley

Mark Wood, the other fast bowler England is desperate to remember, recently made a good point when he said that people like him and Archer cannot expect them to go back to the side immediately. They must prove that they are ready. In this case we must take the ECB medics and Jofra himself – on their word.

You can see why England might want a little more advanced against the top order of India, after they have scored five individual hundreds between them in Headingley. It is not only the pace that Archer entails – they are also the skills. There can also be worries about playing woakes in three back-to-back tests when he returns from an injury, but his record at Lord is so good that you would like to play him there.

But Archer has not played a test since the tour of India at the beginning of 2021, and no matter how good you look in a provincial game or in the nets, there is nothing above international cricket to bring your body through the writer. Can he come back for a third spell and still touch 90 MPH? Can he resist in the field for a day and a half?

He is a unique talent. And that is why I would give him a few more days to get ready for the hardships of test cricket – before I unleashed him on India at Lord.