Having opted for stability, England on Monday named an unchanged XI for the second Test against India starting Wednesday at Edgbaston. This means Jofra Archer will have to bide his time for a long-awaited return to the Test arena.

Ben Stokes’ side come into the match buoyed by their dramatic five-wicket victory in the series opener at Headingley, where they successfully chased down 371 on the final day to seize a 1-0 lead in the five-match contest.

Archer, who has not featured in Test cricket since February 2021, had been recalled to the squad after bowling his first red-ball overs in four years during Sussex’s County Championship clash against Durham last week. However, the 30-year-old pacer was compelled to skip Monday’s training session due to a family emergency, delaying his comeback. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed Archer would rejoin the squad in Birmingham on Tuesday.