India, July 9 -- Jofra Archer is confirmed to make a return to Test cricket as England face India in the third Test at Lord's on Thursday. The right-arm pacer, considered among the fiercest in world cricket, has been named in the playing XI, his first red-ball appearance in over four years.

Archer, who replaces Josh Tongue in the XI, has been battling recurring injuries since his last Test outing in 2021, which, interestingly, also came against India. While he has made limited appearances in white-ball cricket since then, concerns around his long-format fitness kept him out of the Test setup until now.

His return marks his 14th Test appearance and a third straight against India. Archer's last red-ball showing was during England's tour o...