Jofra Archer on Rishabh Pant's dismissal: 'That wicket gave everyone the energy to go for the win'.
Lord's witnessed one of its finest Test matches in recent times with England emerging victorious in a thrilling finale, beating India by a 22-run margin after tea on the fifth day. In a game that had several ebbs and flows, a significant moment in India's run chase was the wicket of Rishabh Pant early on the fifth morning.
The left-hander had been in tremendous form all series and battled an injured left hand in the first innings to notch up a critical fifty. Given his natural style of play and purple patch, the left-hander's wicket was going to be a big one in the chase. However, his injury had worsened and his brief stay on Day 5 suggested that Pant's left hand was in all sorts of pain. Meanwhile, Jofra Archer was in the midst of a fiery burst, delivering thunderbolts that mixed with variable bounce and seam movement were tough to handle.
One of those deliveries angled into Pant and straightened just a bit at good pace with the ball keeping a tad low as well. With his bottom hand almost non-existent, the India vice-captain couldn't keep it out and saw the off stump cartwheeling. It was a massive moment in the game that had plenty of other dramatic moments. Reflecting on the dismissal, Archer felt that it a wicket that gave a nitro boost to England's optimism in defending the target.
"I think that (wicket) gave everyone the energy to push for this win." said Archer while speaking to Sky Sports after the game.
Pant's dismissal was followed quickly by that of KL Rahul who got a scorching nip-backer from Ben Stokes, a near unplayable delivery that had the India opener back to the hut. Archer continued to steam in and his pace was a key factor in taking out Washington Sundar who seemed uncomfortable in his brief stay. Archer bowled close to 40 overs in the game across both innings and looked to be in peak shape with his speeds seldom dropping below optimum levels. It put to bed a mountain of mixed reactions that had come when he was added to the Test squad after the defeat at Edgbaston .
Understandably irked at the loathing that he had received over the years for being an injury-prone fast bowler, Archer sounded pleased at being able to make the critics eat humble pie.
"I guess I was a little bit emotional (after England's win). It was a long journey. I can't tell you the amount of keyboard warriors there have been for the last three or four years."
"It (comeback) was a long time coming, a lot of rehab, a lot of training but it's moments like this that make it all worth it. The whole crowd gave me a huge lift."
The Lord's Test was Archer's first red-ball game for England since 2021 and only last month did he even play a First-class game. The wait has been frustrating for the mercurial pacer but such are his skill levels that England are understandably keen on taking maximum safety measures on ensuring that he reaches peak fitness soon. It has meant that he has missed out on many important tournaments including two T20 World Cups, an ODI World Cup and a Champions Trophy.
"The hardest part has been playing cricket for the last year and a half and still having the training wheels on talking about workloads -- bowl today, don't bowl tomorrow. Sometimes you think you are ready but you never know until you do it. The safer way is the best way so I am not too fussed and this is surely worth the wait."
With a big Ashes series in Australia looming large and a T20 World Cup early next year, a fully-fit Archer adds truckload of firepower to England's bowling attack. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are aware of it and Archer knows that the Lord's Test is just a baby step as far as the larger picture is concerned.
"The plans Keysey (England managing director of cricket Rob Key) and I made a few years ago are starting to fill the calendar. I am a bit speechless as to how things are coming on.
"I think I still have overs marked out until December so I am not totally out of the woods but this is a good start. It was very hectic for a first Test back. I bowled more overs than I thought I would."
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