London: England Test captain Ben Stokes said a look back to his side's 2019 Cricket World Cup success was the catalyst for throwing Jofra Archer the ball to turn the tide in England's vital victory over India on Monday at Lord's.
Playing in his first Test since 2021, Archer showed no signs of the numerous injuries that have hampered him, claiming combined match figures of 5/105 through a mix of hostility, intimdation
and tactical nous.
And it seemed fitting for the 30-year-old to deliver again, six years to the day from his Super Over heroics in England's 2019 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Final victory over New Zealand.
After being belted down the ground by an advancing Rishabh Pant, an attempt to set the tone of the day in the visitors' favour, Archer hit back by beating the wicket-keeper/batter's defences for just nine.
He then followed up with a sharp return catch to dismiss Washington Sundar (0), a player with a penchant for fourth innings heroics, to curtail the India heist.
In the press conference after victory, Stokes said he had a feeling Archer would be the man to make the difference early, an ICC report said.
"Part of the reason I went with Jof this morning (was the Cricket World Cup 2019 Final), six years ago now to the day," he said.
"He played a major role and I had a feeling he'd do something special and crack the game open.
(I had) a bit of discussion, Brydon (Carse) had an amazing spell (on day four), but I had a gut
feeling that Jof's going to do something in his first game back," Stokes said.
It's been a long road back for Archer, who has been troubled by a series of back and elbow problems from 2021 to 2024, and continuing his rehabilitation gradually through domestic action and white-ball cricket over the last 12 months.
Speaking to Sky Sports after play, Archer felt the hard work off the field made the victory even sweeter.
"A lot of rehab, a lot of training but it's moments like this that make everything worth it," Archer said.
"I feel the hardest part is playing cricket for the last year and a half, and then still having training, talking about workloads, and 'bowl today, don't bowl tomorrow', stuff like that," he said.
"That would probably be the hardest part, because some days you think that you're ready, but you never know if you're ready or not until you do it. But the safer way is the best way. So I'm not too fussed. This surely, surely is worth it," Archer said.
His first wicket of the Test, in which he found a Yashasvi Jaiswal outside edge claimed by Harry Brook, sparked celebrations for a vocal Lord's crowd and teammates eager to catch the impassioned fast bowler.
The emotion seeped out of Archer in his celebrations across the Test, and the fast bowler admitted there was extra motivation to perform.
"It was a long journey. I can't tell you the amount keyboard warriors that I had to put up with for the last three to four years as well," he said.
"I told myself that I was gonna try my best not to be (emotional) and when he (Jaiswal) nicked it, and it went to Brooky," Archer said.
"The joy, the whole crowd, the Long Room yesterday, I've never seen it like that ever in my life. So it's just moments like this that made the rehab all so much worth it," he added.
With England adding a further 12 World Test Championship points and going 2-1 up in the five Test series, the attention of the two teams turns to Manchester, with the fourth Test beginning on July 23.
