(ESPNCRICINFO) – After missing Monday’s training session due to a family emergency, Jofra Archer was at Edgbaston on Tuesday making up for lost time.
A strong session in the nets on the Colts Ground included a stint bowling at Ben Stokes. Unsurprising, really. Archer is not the first bowler to be left out of an XI and immediately seek to give his captain a reminder of their talents the day before a Test.

It perhaps spoke to who had the better of that duel that Stokes ended up rushing to his 11:15am press conference after opting for another hit to get some groove back. Not that Stokes needed a reminder of Archer’s qualities, or indeed Archer had anything to prove, despite missing the cut for this second Test against India.
“I know Jof, obviously, a lot better than you guys sat down here,” Stokes said, when assessing the situation around his 30-year-old quick, and the notion Archer would need to be kept interested in a format he has not played for over four years.

“I’ve been in constant communication with him since the injuries. And I said it a few times – he was so determined to get back and play Test cricket or to make himself available to be selected. So, look, he didn’t need any more reason to find any more desire. He loves playing cricket. He loves playing for England.”
The figurative “here” of being Test-ready for a first appearance of the new era – he has previously played one Test under Stokes in 2020 – was as important as the literal.
Having returned for Sussex last week against Durham – his first red-ball appearance since May 2021 – Archer could have dropped back into their match against Warwickshire at Hove to add to the 18 overs of work last week. ECB regulations state that players released from international duty can be shoehorned back into ongoing County Championship fixtures, provided there are at least two days remaining, which would have been the case on Tuesday.

However, England confirmed on Monday that none of their four unused squad members would be released for their respective county fixtures. While Jacob Bethell was always due to remain as the spare batter, Archer, Sam Cook and Jamie Overton were probably glad to be saved from what looks to be hard toil with the Kookaburra ball.
Having that trio of seam bowlers around the group, particularly Archer, was seen by Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum as far more beneficial.

“This is something we had to consider around bringing him back into the squad,” Stokes told BBC Test Match Special when asked why Archer was not released to play for Sussex.
“For me, personally, and Baz as well, we felt if he didn’t play it was important to have Jof around the group, around the people, to get him back into the environment again. Having him back in the squad is great but we want him to play a part in the series and going forward with this group.

“There were benefits to both situations, but how me and Baz think about the time we spend as a group is very important as well. He (Archer) has been playing for a long time. He has bowled a lot of overs. You can’t really control how a first-class game will go. Because of how last week went, he [only] got 18 overs in a week.”