England’s spin bowling coach Jeetan Patel has delivered a welcome update on the fitness of Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson following the conclusion of Day 2 of the second Test against India at Edgbaston. Patel confirmed that both pacers are fully fit and available for selection in the remaining matches of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 series, providing a timely boost to England’s bowling resources.
India dominated Day 2 by piling up a colossal 587 in their first innings, riding on a sensational 269 from skipper Shubman Gill and a vital 89 from Ravindra Jadeja. In reply, England were reeling at 77/3 by stumps, with Joe Root (18*) and Harry Brook (30*) fighting to steady the innings after early wickets rocked the hosts.
Jeetan Patel didn’t shy away from admitting that England’s bowling attack lacked bite, especially with Brydon Carse failing to make much of an impact. Carse managed just one wicket for 83 runs across 24 overs, putting added pressure on the rest of the bowling unit.
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“Carse had two hard Test matches, and thankfully, we’ve had a good break between the first and second Tests. That’s the advantage of having a strong group of seamers,” Jetan Patel said during the post-day press conference.
🗣️ “He’ll be a huge addition to England’s fast bowling stocks and to their best XI.”
Butch on Jofra Archer’s potential return to Test cricket this summer, for the first time since February 2021 🏴
🤝 @PerfectDraft_uk #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/Db7sei6EwJ
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 2, 2025
He further revealed that Jofra Archer, who was part of the squad but didn’t play in the XI, bowled at “rocket” pace during a lunch session on Day 2. Gus Atkinson, who has been working his way back to full fitness, is also now match-ready, giving England selectors more options as the series progresses.
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Archer, returning to red-ball cricket after almost four years, recently featured in a County Championship match for Sussex, where he scored 31 and picked up 1/32 in 18 tidy overs against Durham.
With India in control of the second Test and England trailing in the series, the inclusion of fit-again quicks like Archer and Atkinson could prove crucial in turning things around for Ben Stokes’ side.
