England skipper Ben Stokes has confirmed that Jofra Archer is actively pushing for a return to Test cricket and has remained in consistent contact with him throughout his recovery. The England pacer, sidelined from red-ball cricket for over four years, has been in Stokes’s inbox regularly with hopeful messages. The captain revealed the emotional and mental intensity behind Archer’s desire. On Tuesday, in the press confernce, Stokes addressed, "He's been absolutely desperate to put the white shirt back on. Out of the blue, he'd sometimes text me saying, 'Zim?' – as in, 'Am I in for Zimbabwe?' I had to tell him, 'Let's just hold it there. I know you're feeling good, but we don't want to rush it.'" Though the England team has taken a conservative route with Archer’s workload, optimism is returning. Stokes added, "He's had a torrid run with injuries, but he's managed a fair bit of white-ball cricket recently. The fact that we can now put a structure in place for his red-ball return is a great sign." Read also: Tim Paine appointed as coach to the Australia "A" team for three series Archer Set for County Return Ahead of India Series Jofra Archer, who has not played a Test since February 2021, is scheduled to return this Sunday in a County Championship match for Sussex against Durham. This fixture marks a key step in England's strategy to reintroduce the 29-year-old ahead of their five-Test home series against India, starting in July at Headingley. Archer burst onto the international scene in 2019, playing a major role in England’s ODI World Cup triumph and delivering high-intensity spells in the Ashes later that summer. However, his red-ball trajectory stalled due to recurring elbow injuries and later, a fractured thumb. Despite his continued participation in limited-overs cricket, Archer’s Test comeback has remained a point of interest. With England set to play 10 Tests in the next seven months against India and Australia, his return could reinforce the bowling unit. Stokes, however, underlined his team-first outlook: "I've never sat down thinking about how this could define my time as captain. That would be selfish, and that's just not who I am."