Former England captain Michael Vaughan has said that injury-prone Jofra Archer should not be rushed back to play in the second Test against India at Edgbaston, although the pace bowler recently made a comeback to red-ball cricket.

Archer, 30, played has not featured in a Test since 2021. Playing a first-class match for the first time in four years, he took one wicket for 32 from 18 overs in Sussex’s County Championship game against Durham on Sunday. England selector Luke Wright had said earlier this month that if Archer comes through the four-day game for Sussex, he could be available for the second Test.

But Vaughan feels Archer should play another four-day game. “The good thing is that Jofra is back in the equation, but I’d like to see him play another four-day game. He’s not played the longer format for four years so why would you rush him back? We know the intensity at Test-match level is so different to county cricket. I would go with the same line-up, as long as the bowlers are fine and there are no niggles,” said Vaughan.

Paul Farbrace, the head coach of Sussex and a former assistant coach to the England cricket team, said that had he been in selectors’ place, he would save Archer for the third Test match. “Why change the team? They’ve just won the Test at Headingley. They’ve set themselves up nicely for the series. I would be definitely sticking with Chris Woakes for Edgbaston because he knows the pitch inside out,” said Farbrace.

Archer had emerged as one of England’s most exciting prospects in 2019 when he bowled the decisive super over in the home World Cup win and followed it up with 22 wickets in four Tests in the Ashes series. But since then he has been plagued by injury. While his 2020 elbow injury needed several surgeries, he also had a stress fracture in 2022. Expected to play in the white-ball series against West Indies, he injured his thumb while playing in the Indian Premier League.