The Prague Post - Archer strikes on Test return before India's Gill falls cheaply

Archer removed Yashasvi Jaiswal with just his third ball after more than four years of injury-induced exile from Test cricket.

And Gill, who had previously made a mammoth 585 runs in four innings this series, including three hundreds, was later caught behind for a mere 16.

India were 145-3 in reply to England's first-innings 387 at stumps on the second day of the third Test, a deficit of 242 runs.

KL Rahul was 53 not out alongside Rishabh Pant, unbeaten on 19.

Express quick Archer shone at Lord's during England's 2019 50-over World Cup final win and also made his Test debut that season at the ground, where his bouncer concussed Australia's Steve Smith.

With just his third ball Friday, the 30-year-old Archer unleashed a 90 mph full-length delivery that had a squared-up Jaiswal edging to Harry Brook at second slip.

Archer roared in celebration, with the often restrained crowd at a sun-drenched Lord's erupting in raucous cheers.

England's backing for Archer, in the hope he can star in the 2025/26 Ashes in Australia, has often been questioned during his lengthy absence.

But an opening over where he several times topped 90 mph and a return of 1-22 in 10 overs was a reminder of Archer's quality.

- Stokes in the wickets -

England captain Ben Stokes's career has been blighted by injuries and there were fresh concerns when he suffered a groin strain batting on Thursday.

But the lively seamer, in no obvious discomfort, reduced India to 74-2 when Karun Nair (40) edged him low to first slip where Joe Root held a brilliant left-handed catch.

That grab meant Root set a new Test record of 211 catches for an outfielder.

Veteran all-rounder Chris Woakes' three previous wickets this series had come at a hugely expensive average of nearly 97 apiece.

But the 36-year-old made a key breakthrough when he had Gill edging defensively to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who held a good catch standing up to the stumps, with India now 107-3.

Earlier, Jasprit Bumrah gained a coveted place on the Lord's honours boards with a five-wicket haul before England paceman Brydon Carse's maiden Test fifty frustrated India.

Bumrah, the world's top-ranked Test bowler, took 5-74 in 27 overs as England were bowled out after lunch.

Bumrah's haul included a brilliant burst Friday of three for one in seven balls that reduced England, who resumed on 251-4, to 271-7, with the fast bowler dismissing Stokes, century-maker Root and Woakes.

But tailender Carse frustrated India with 56 after he shared an eighth-wicket stand of 84 with Smith, who made Rahul pay for dropping him in the slips on five with an innings of 51.

That followed Smith's excellent 184 not out and 88 during India's crushing 336-run win in the second Test at Edgbaston last week, where the tourists levelled this five-match series at 1-1 despite resting Bumrah in Birmingham.

Root, 99 not out overnight, went to a hundred Friday with a first-ball boundary off Bumrah.

Root's 37th Test century took him into fifth place on an all-time list headed by India's Sachin Tendulkar with 51 hundreds.

Stokes had added just five runs to his overnight 39 when he was bowled by a Bumrah delivery that jagged back into his off stump.

Next ball, Woakes fell for a golden duck following a thin edge to reserve wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, deputising for the injured Pant.

Carse survived the hat-trick delivery but England were still struggling at 271-7.

Bumrah later bowled Archer to complete his five-wicket haul.

Carse was dropped either side of completing a 77-ball fifty in style by driving Mohammed Siraj for six before the paceman bowled him to end England's innings.

C.Zeman--TPP