The England Test side has gained another significant boost after their historic opening Test triumph against India at Headingley. With Jofra Archer in the lineup for the second Test at Edgbaston, they have brought back one of the top bowlers in the world to their Test squad.

Following a four-year absence from Test cricket, during which time he last played in 2021 following an explosive breakthrough that lasted only a few years, Archer makes his comeback. Although Archer's return gives cause for optimism, he only has one first-class match under his belt after a series of various injuries, which he played for Sussex last week against Durham.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain said that England would need to exercise extreme caution with Archer's comeback and advised that the express fast bowler not be forced to rejoin the squad in Birmingham, but rather made to wait for the third Test match at Lord's.

"Firstly you have to say it's good news for Archer and England in that Jof must have been through so much with those [elbow and back injuries], the rehab, the pain, the mental torment of continually getting injured and making comebacks, so it's great to see him back in the squad, he hasn't played a Test match for four years," Hussain said on Sky Cricket. "Fundamentally if you're an England fan you should be pleased to see Jofra Archer back in a red ball squad."

"Who do you leave out?" Hussain asked, unsure of the tactical point of view

Nevertheless, Hussain posed a few questions: whether Archer was ready for red-ball cricket after only one First Class match this summer, during which he only took one wicket, and which members of England's pace attack were they willing to exclude.

“I think it’s too much of a risk this week, but it may have gone so well—I don’t know Jofra Archer’s body—it may have gone so well that they say, ‘we’ll play you this week’.” The question then becomes, whom do you exclude? Hussain questioned. Chris Woakes could be on the chopping block, but a pace trio of Archer, Brydon Carse, and Josh Tongue might be a little one-note.

With his assets currently in a closely contested series that may alter the course of the game, Hussain did think that this is the ideal moment to bring Archer back. Given the upcoming Ashes series in Australia, Hussain considers this to be a risk worth taking.

"Although I believe the risk is worthwhile, I'm unsure if it's worthwhile this week. A week later at Lord's, I would complete it. This week marks his return to first-class cricket for Sussex after a four-year absence, when he bowled 18 overs. Archer is among the best in the world when he is at his peak. He has that unpolished pace; he is definitely box office. But sadly for him, he hasn't been at his best in a long time. As a result, it's a risk, according to the expert.

Ultimately, Hussain made the case that a bit more preparation might be a decent compromise for a bowler who has struggled with reoccurring injuries, just to be on the safe side. "We have waited so long, what is the rush? Why not wait another week just to be sure?" Hussain said in conclusion.

The second match of the recently created Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series begins on July 2.

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