'what's The Story?' - Archer & Bumrah Headline Lord's Test

During nan signaling of (What's nan Story) Morning Glory?, nan Gallagher brothers had 1 of their bigger rows. Noel swung a cricket bat astatine Liam.

Paul McGuigan was nan Oasis bassist astatine nan time. He's a immense cricket fan.

The biggest comebacks of nan summertime are happening each astatine once. Last week it was Oasis successful Cardiff, this week Jofra Archer astatine Lord's, segment of his champagne ace complete successful nan 2019 World Cup last and felling of Steve Smith connected Test debut. He was electric.

Archer's return to play successful nan 3rd Test against India connected Thursday is remarkable. More than 4 years away, his profession threatened by backmost and elbow injuries. The past clip he played a Test successful this state was successful nan Covid bubble. The past clip he played a Test successful beforehand of a location crowd was that debut summertime six years ago.

The fans person not forgotten. When Archer was 12th man during nan 2nd Test astatine Edgbaston, an quality to tally nan drinks brought 1 of nan loudest cheers of nan week from nan Hollies Stand.

"He perfectly loved it," said England skipper Ben Stokes. "He had nary thought what to do. He went astir once, and went backmost information again."

For Archer, 1 of nan astir complete accelerated bowlers to play for England successful decades, possibly expectations should beryllium managed. He has bowled only 18 competitory overs pinch a reddish shot successful nan run-up to this.

But what is nan constituent of athletics if excitement is not allowed? Hopes, dreams and heroes get america believing a Briton tin scope nan 2nd week of Wimbledon aliases Stoke City mightiness debar a relegation conflict this season. It will beryllium nan aforesaid pinch Archer, believing he tin beryllium nan aforesaid exhilarating bowler of 2019.

A further frisson came from nan show of Mark Wood training pinch England astatine Lord's connected Wednesday, stepping up his comeback from a knee injury. There was an clasp betwixt Archer and Wood, a glimpse to a business that could reunite for nan last Test astatine The Oval, aliases this wintertime successful Australia.

Archer's inclusion successful spot of Josh Tongue boosts an England onslaught that looked to beryllium connected life support astatine Edgbaston. If anything, only 1 alteration is simply a surprise, but Stokes is adamant Brydon Carse's battered feet are bully to spell and Chris Woakes' grounds present is truthful bully they should re-name nan crushed aft him.

There will beryllium attraction connected conditions, balls and nan pitch. Last week, Stokes said nan Edgbaston aboveground was subcontinental, which was understandable fixed it has hardly rained this summer. Still, 18 England wickets fell to India's fantabulous seamers.

From a distance, location looks to beryllium much writer connected nan Lord's pitch, though that will beryllium baked successful temperatures forecast to beryllium supra 30 degrees. Both teams person complained astir nan Dukes balls going soft, which led Stokes to mobility nan marque of rings utilized by umpires to trial nan roundness. It later transpired they are modular rumor from nan International Cricket Council.

If nan predicted heatwave does get connected Thursday, past location will overmuch intrigue astir nan toss, particularly if Shubman Gill calls incorrectly. Stokes, who loves a pursuit arsenic overmuch arsenic a canine moving aft a car, admitted he would beryllium looking to bat first.

A skipper makes hundreds of decisions during a Test, but not galore arsenic important aliases scrutinised arsenic intimately arsenic nan toss.

Stokes chose to section first astatine Headingley and England won. Stokes chose to section first astatine Edgbaston and England lost. On some occasions, Shubman said he would person bowled, too. You will person your ain sentiment whether aliases not a flip determination is vindicated by nan consequence of nan match.

Despite his history successful location Tests, Stokes stressed he was "not stuck successful his ways" and it is not a "tactic to consistently vessel first".

"When I get nan whites retired pinch nan blazer on, I look up to nan entity much than anything. It's not rocket science," he said.

"I'm not nan Met Office, truthful I can't show what's going to hap afterwards.

"Because we've had bully occurrence astatine chasing down totals successful nan 4th innings, it doesn't mean that's our preference."

Such is nan sadistic quality of Test cricket, a dense conclusion for illustration Edgbaston tin unfastened aged wounds that were different thought to person healed.

In fact, aft Birmingham, it tin beryllium based on nan questions that hung complete England astatine nan opening of nan summertime still remain: Zak Crawley's charmed life astatine nan apical of nan order, Ollie Pope's feast aliases famine astatine number three, nan Shoaib Bashir project, really nan gait bowlers return wickets connected level pitches.

For India, nan jubilation of their first triumph successful Birmingham has carried to London. The full squad was astatine nan YWC gala connected Wednesday held successful honour of erstwhile batter Yuvraj Singh's crab charity.

Shubman and coach Gautam Gambhir took nan shape together to manus retired 'awards' to nan squad. The fearsome Gambhir cracked a smile. Rishabh Pant was revealed arsenic nan man ever precocious for nan squad bus, Ravindra Jadeja nan champion beard, Shubman arsenic champion dressed.

It took India 9 attempts to unafraid a first triumph astatine Edgbaston and their grounds astatine Lord's is almost arsenic bad; only 3 wins successful 19 visits, though 2 person travel since 2014.

The mostly of nan India squad that return nan section connected Thursday will beryllium playing a Test successful St John's Wood for nan first time. Shubman, successful nan shape of his life, has played present erstwhile before, for Glamorgan against Middlesex successful 2022. He was bowled by Toby Roland-Jones for 22 and caught disconnected Tim Murtagh for 11. Maybe England request immoderate honorable region seamers successful their XI.

Jasprit Bumrah has played 1 Test here, picking up 3 wickets successful India's triumph 4 years ago. His return aft being rested astatine Edgbaston could person him joining Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep to shape an highly potent trio.

In nan gala connected Wednesday, Bumrah was fixed an grant for 'best comeback' aft his backmost injury, but his return pales successful comparison to what Archer has been through.

Now, 2 of nan game's astir breathtaking accelerated bowlers statement up against each different astatine nan grandest cricket crushed connected nan satellite pinch a thrilling bid perfectly poised astatine 1-1.

What's nan story?