Archer misses out as England name unchanged team

England have named an unchanged team for the second Test against India at Edgbaston, meaning a further wait for the return of Jofra Archer.

Pace bowler Archer is back in the squad after a four-year absence but missed Monday's training session because of a family emergency.

England say the 30-year-old will rejoin the team in Birmingham on Tuesday, ahead of the second Test starting on Wednesday.

India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah is available, but the tourists may opt to omit him depending on the conditions.

India have committed to playing Bumrah in only three of the five Tests and he was part of the team beaten in the first Test at Headingley last week.

England are looking to take a 2-0 lead on a ground where India have never won a Test. They have lost seven and drawn one of the eight since they first played here in 1967.

Archer, who burst onto the international scene in 2019, has not played a Test since 2021 after a string of back and elbow injuries.

He has been carefully nursed back to fitness on a diet of white-ball cricket and played for Sussex in the County Championship last week, taking one wicket in 18 overs.

Both former England captain Michael Vaughan and Sussex coach Paul Farbrace, also a former England assistant coach, urged caution with rushing Archer back to the Test arena after such limited first-class bowling.

England had the option of releasing Archer to play in the final two days of Sussex's Championship match against Warwickshire, on Tuesday and Wednesday, but he will remain with the national team.

All of the other members of the squad who are not playing in the second Test – Jacob Bethell, Sam Cook and Jamie Overton – will also stay in Birmingham. There is a short turnaround to the beginning of the third Test at Lord's, starting on 10 July.