The Sussex quick is being eased back into action having struggled with stress fractures in his elbow.
His last Test for England was more than three years ago in February 2021, but he has since represented England in white-ball cricket, with his last outing coming in a T20 against Bangladesh last year.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Key confirmed that Archer will not play a part in England’s red-ball summer, when Ben Stokes’ side have Tests against the West Indies and Sri Lanka.
“The whole plan with Jofra is he’s going to play white-ball cricket for this summer and going into the winter,” Key told Sky Sports.
“Then hopefully next summer, when we play India and then onto the Ashes, we get him back for Test cricket.
“It’s a slow process to get him back for all forms.”
Although Archer will not be involved in Test cricket for England, the aim is that he can be fit for this year’s T20 World Cup taking place in the West Indies and the United States.
Key is also hopeful the fast bowler can be involved in the T20 series against Pakistan in May.
“Jofra has been out with Sussex in India for pre-season and bowled quickly out there, he bowled really well,” Key added.
“He has now gone back to the Caribbean where he’s going to play a bit of club cricket, all about getting himself ready for that T20 World Cup.
“He’ll hopefully play the Pakistan series, but it’s always fingers-crossed at the moment with Jofra.
“What we’re going to do is take it slower (rather) than trying to go too quickly so that we get him back for not just a short period but we get him for a long period.”
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had suspended Robinson while investigating the social media posts which were made between 2012 and 2014.
A Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) panel handed the 27-year-old a ban as well as a fine of £3,200 for breaching two ECB directives, though five of the eight games are suspended for two years.
Having already missed three matches, one of which was the second Test in the home series against New Zealand, Robinson is now able to resume his career.
"I fully accept the CDC's decision. As I have said previously, I am incredibly embarrassed and ashamed about the tweets I posted many years ago and apologise unreservedly for their contents,” he said in a statement.
"I am deeply sorry for the hurt I caused to anyone who read those tweets and in particular to those people to whom the messages caused offence. This has been the most difficult time in my professional career for both my family and myself.
"Whilst I want to move on, I do want to use my experience to help others in the future through working with the PCA."
Robinson's previous posts resurfaced during the opening day of his Test debut for England against New Zealand at Lord’s, in which he claimed match figures of 7-101 while also contributing 42 runs.
He took a short break from the game before returning to action, playing for Sussex Sharks in the domestic Twenty20 competition. The judgment made by the panel means Robinson is now available to be considered for England duty.
"We accept the decisions made by the Cricket Discipline Commission and the sanctions they have imposed," Tom Harrison, the ECB's chief executive officer, said.
"Ollie has acknowledged that, whilst published a long time ago when he was a young man, these historic tweets were unacceptable. He has engaged fully in the disciplinary process, admitted the charges, has received his sanction from the CDC and will participate in training and use his experiences to help others.
"Given he has served the suspension handed down by the CDC, he will now be available for selection for England again.
"We stand against discrimination of all forms, and will continue working to ensure cricket is a welcoming and inclusive sport for all."
Meanwhile, England have announced an unchanged 16-man squad for the upcoming one-day fixtures against Pakistan on home soil. That means batsman Tom Banton – who was called up midway through the ongoing series with Sri Lanka – will remain with the group.
Stokes, the world's top Test all-rounder, withdrew from the rest of the series to travel to New Zealand for family reasons.
That has opened the door for Robinson, who has taken 244 first-class wickets in 57 matches.
Batsman Zak Crawley is expected to return to the XI for the contest at the Ageas Bowl, which begins on Thursday.
England are looking to clinch the three-match series after Jos Buttler and Chris Woakes inspired them to a three-wicket win at Old Trafford last week.
Squad in full: Joe Root (Captain), James Anderson, Jofra Archer, Dominic Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Dom Sibley, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
Robinson has dealt with a series of ailments since last playing for the Test team in the Ashes in January.
The seamer was beset by back spasms at the start of the English summer and later contracted coronavirus, also dealing with dental issues.
Now, though, Robinson will return to a group transformed by the leadership of new coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes.
Robinson was reportedly set to play only for the Lions team, before an injury to Jamie Overton created a space in the main team.
He is part of a 14-man group, which also includes Matthew Potts, a beneficiary of Robinson's absence earlier in the year.
Although Potts keeps his place, Sam Billings has made way with Ben Foakes' return from COVID-19.
England will play three Tests against South Africa, although this initial squad was confirmed only for the two August matches.
England Test squad to play South Africa:
Ben Stokes (Durham, captain), James Anderson (Lancashire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Jack Leach (Somerset), Alex Lees (Durham), Craig Overton (Somerset), Matthew Potts (Durham), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Joe Root (Yorkshire).
Robinson has not played for his country since the Ashes Test in Hobart in January, but he will back in the team at Old Trafford on Thursday.
The seamer has been sidelined by a back injury, while he also had to contend with a dental problem and COVID-19.
Robinson sent a message to the selectors by taking five wickets in the England Lions' hammering of South Africa in a tour match at Canterbury this month and he has got the nod over Potts in Manchester.
That is the only change to the team that was thrashed by an innings and 12 runs in the first Test at Lord's last week.
Struggling opening batter Zak Crawley will get another chance at the top of the order against a hostile Proteas attack.
England team:
Zak Crawley , Alex Lees, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (captain), Ben Foakes, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, Ollie Robinson, James Anderson.
The Sussex seamer missed out on the drawn matches in Antigua and Barbados and will play no part in Grenada as England chase a first Test win in nine attempts.
England confirmed their squad on Wednesday, a day before the third Test begins, with Craig Overton recovering from illness to replace Matthew Fisher in the only change.
Robinson was unable to prove his fitness in a net session and skipper Joe Root is hopeful his team-mate can soon put his fitness issues behind him.
"Ollie wasn't as good as we would have liked or he was expecting himself," Root said prior to the squad announcement.
"It's just frustrating for him, as it is for me. He's working very hard but there's something that's nagging away at him.
"I'm not sure exactly of the medical prognosis. He's just got to keep on doing what he's doing and trust in time that he's going to get himself back.
"We all know how effective he has been and how good he's been in his short career up to now so the sooner we can get him back the better."
Root is 116 runs short of reaching 10,000 in Test cricket, a tally only Alastair Cook has previously reached among England players.
The 31-year-old hit centuries in the opening two Tests against West Indies but could not help his side to victory, something he is looking to put right in this winner-takes-all clash.
"I really hope we can take another step forward as a team and get across the line because there's been a lot of good stuff," he told reporters.
"We've played the majority of the cricket up to now and it would be a great way to end the tour. The most pleasing thing is we've not had a nightmare session that's cost us a Test.
"We've looked at each individual session and each hour and looked to win each and every one of them."
England are unbeaten in their last three away Test matches against West Indies, having lost each of the three games prior to that run.
Their most recent meeting at St George's was in April 2015, with England claiming a nine-wicket victory.
Sussex pace bowler Robinson took 7-101 and scored 42 runs in the drawn first Test against New Zealand at Lord's.
However, while the Sussex seamer was in action on the field on the first day of the Test, comments he made in 2012 and 2013 – when he was aged 18 and 19 – emerged on social media.
The discovery of the comments came after England's players wore anti-discrimination T-shirts carrying messages regarding racism, sexism, transphobia, homophobia and ageism ahead of play starting on Wednesday.
ECB chief executive Tom Harrison strongly condemned the posts and confirmed a full investigation would be launched as part of the governing body's disciplinary process.
A statement from the ECB on Sunday confirmed the 27-year-old will not be able to take part in international cricket until the investigation is complete.
The statement read: "England and Sussex bowler Ollie Robinson has been suspended from all international cricket pending the outcome of a disciplinary investigation following historic tweets he posted in 2012 and 2013.
"He will not be available for selection for the second Test against New Zealand starting at Edgbaston on Thursday June 10.
"Robinson will leave the England camp immediately and return to his county."
Robinson impressed on debut against New Zealand at Lord's in June, taking seven wickets.
But during the match, historic Twitter posts of a racist and sexist nature made by the 27-year-old Sussex seamer emerged and, following an investigation, he was handed an eight-match ban and fined £3,200 for breaking England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) directives.
Five of the eight games were suspended for two years and Robinson served the others while his case was examined.
He comes back into the fold as captain Joe Root heads into the five-match series, which begins at Trent Bridge on August 4, without Jofra Archer and Chris Woakes due to respective elbow and heel injuries.
Bairstow will provide wicketkeeping cover for Jos Buttler – another player to return having missed the New Zealand series following India Premier League commitments, along with all-rounder Sam Curran – and could also push for a place as a specialist batsman given the meagre efforts of England's middle order in the 1-0 loss to the Black Caps.
Stokes played through the pain in the recent ODI series win over Pakistan, returning ahead of schedule from a broken finger to captain a scratch team after a COVID-19 forced all of the initially selected squad into isolation.
James Bracey drops out after two consecutive ducks and a tough examination with the gloves on his maiden venture in the longest format, and there is no place for Dawid Malan.
Haseeb Hameed will again provide an alternative to out-of-form number three Zak Crawley, although Bairstow also filled that slot away from home earlier this year. Following some promising contributions in Sri Lanka he registered three noughts in four outings against India.
All of the England players allocated to franchises in the new Hundred competition will play in the first two matches before joining up with the Test squad.
Bairstow's mooted return to the Test setup brought thinly veiled irritation on Tuesday from Welsh Fire head coach Gary Kirsten, who was hoping to have the Yorkshireman available for the majority of the campaign.
Speaking to talkSPORT, former South Africa opener Kirsten said: "We're hearing that Jonny Bairstow, who we've designated as our captain, is now suddenly becoming a Test cricketer again. So we could have him for maybe one or two games"
England squad: Joe Root (capt), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Dom Sibley, Ben Stokes, Mark Wood
India captain Rohit hit back at former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq after questioning how Rahul Dravid's side found swing in their Super 8s meeting with Australia.
Inzamam had referenced Arshdeep Singh's ability to move the white ball in the 15th over against Australia, suggesting "some serious work was done on the ball".
Speaking at Wednesday's pre-match press conference, Rohit responded: "Wickets are so dry, all teams are getting reverse [swing].
"[You] need to open your mind sometimes. This is not Australia."
After launching a staunch defence of his India team-mates, Rohit urged his side to play the team and not the situation against England.
England thrashed India by 10 wickets in the 2022 World Cup semi-finals of the same competition the last time this pair met.
"We want to treat this as a normal game," Rohit added. "We don't want to be talking about that it is a semi-final.
"We are enjoying each other's company and we need to carry on. It is a knockout game. If you think too much [about it], it doesn't help.
"Honestly not a lot has changed since 2022. We have tried to play with a free mind, T20 and ODIs as well. It all depends on the conditions which have been challenging throughout the tournament here.
"We want to be a smart cricket team. I have kept things simple personally and for the players as well. We have done well with role clarity and rely on the players making good decisions on the field.
"Everyone knows they need to get the job done. We don't need to change from 2022 to 2024."
As for India's line-up, and the potential of fielding four spin bowlers, Rohit insists the pitch will dictate selection matters.
"We will see, assess the conditions and then take a call on four spinners," he continued. "We will see."
Regardless of that decision, Rohit urged his side to keep their cool when it matters.
"It is important to stay cool and calm," the opening batter said. "Staying calm has worked for me over the years. Sometimes you can lose your cool as well.
"I am happy to let you do what you want but if it is at the cost of the team then I wo'’t let it happen. Indian cricket teams are always under pressure. Most of the guys are used to it."
Opener Rohit combined with vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane (67) to put on a crucial 162-run partnership for the fourth wicket on a pitch offering considerable help for the spinners from the outset.
Having so impressively won the opener in the four-match series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, England seized early control at the same venue when reducing their opponents to 86-3.
Moeen Ali marked his recall to the XI with the prized wicket of Virat Kohli – who was bowled for a duck – as a much-changed attack prospered in the first session after losing the toss.
Olly Stone struck with just his third delivery, Shubman Gill paying for his decision not to offer a stroke as he was dismissed lbw, stunning those India fans inside the ground as part of a reduced crowd allowed to attend amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Cheteshwar Pujara made 21 before steering Jack Leach (2-78) to Ben Stokes at slip, while Kohli was left stunned in the next over when Moeen turned one prodigiously through between bat and pad to bowl the India skipper before he had a run to his name.
However, the stand between Rohit and Rahane put the tourists on the back foot. Even when the former eventually fell, sweeping Leach out to Moeen in the deep, India were already on course for a useful first-innings total, considering the conditions.
Rahane departed soon after, bowled by Moeen when trying an ambitious sweep shot of his own, while England captain Joe Root claimed the wicket of Ravichandran Ashwin (13).
Still, Rishabh Pant carried India to 300 in the final over and will resume on day two on 33 not out. He will have Axar Patel for company, the Test debutant reaching the close unbeaten on five.
Mixed fortunes for Moeen
England made the tough call to drop Dom Bess despite the off-spinner taking 17 Test wickets in 2021 at an average of 22.20. Root explained the decision was down to a lack of consistency, having only bowled eight overs in India's second innings in the previous game.
His replacement, however, was by no means more economical. Moeen reached an unwanted century as he finished Saturday's play with figures of 2-112 from his 26 overs, though he did of course dismiss Kohli.
Home comforts for Rohit
Rohit passed 150 for the fourth time in Test cricket, while all of his centuries in the format have come on home soil. This, however, was his first at Chennai.
On a slow, worn surface, the right-hander went along at an impressive scoring rate of 69.70 runs per 100 deliveries, hitting 18 fours and a pair of sixes. In the end, England needed help from the batsman to see the back of him.
Bashir, a British Muslim with Pakistani heritage, has experienced difficulty having his application approved and was forced to fly back to London from Abu Dhabi to resolve the issue, ruling him out of Thursday’s first Test.
It is not the first time players with links to Pakistan have experienced hold-ups in India, with Lancashire’s Saqib Mahmood and Australia opener Usman Khawaja among that number. The Pakistan Cricket Board wrote to the International Cricket Council late last year due to delays over visas for their World Cup squad.
England skipper Ben Stokes said on Tuesday he was “devastated” for the uncapped 20-year-old and his opposite number offered solidarity.
“I feel for him honestly,” said Sharma.
“Unfortunately I don’t sit in the visa office to give you more details on that but hopefully he can make it quickly, enjoy our country and plays some cricket as well.
“It’s not easy for anyone, it could be one of our guys wanting to come to England and being denied.”
India are on a high after beating England 3-1 to secure a place in the inaugural ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand.
A strong England squad led by Eoin Morgan will be looking for revenge at the Narendra Modi Stadium, but face a huge test against an India side who have won six and drawn one of their previous seven series in the shortest format.
India sit second in the rankings and are eager to make a statement seven months before the T20 World Cup begins on home soil.
Vice-captain Rohit knows they are not the finished article ahead of the first match in Ahmedabad on Friday, with Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan and Rahul Tewatia in line to make their debuts.
The in-form batsman said: "It's nice for the fans also to look forward to something because it's not every second year you are playing the World Cup, otherwise the charm of the World Cup goes away.
"The freshness of the World Cup remains and it's going to be an exciting World Cup as it is being played in India. We are all looking forward to that but before that, we still have a lot of work to do."
England, who whitewashed South Africa 3-0 late last year, have not lost a T20 series since they were beaten by India in 2018.
Malan is the man
There will be an array of outstanding batsmen on show in what should be a pulsating series and it is Dawid Malan who comes into it as the best in the world in this format.
The left-hander was named man of the series in a whitewash of the Proteas, making a magnificent 99 not out in the final match at Newlands on the back of another half-century.
England have an embarrassment of riches in the batting department, with the likes of Morgan, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Jason Roy and Sam Billings in the squad.
Liam Livingstone will also get the opportunity to make his mark after some explosive knocks for Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League.
Kohli closing in on historic landmark, Pant returns
India captain Virat Kohli needs only 72 more runs to become the first man to reach the 3,000 mark in T20Is.
The prolific skipper averages 50.5 for his country in the shortest format and has more runs than anyone in matches between these two nations (346).
England will also need to remove Rishabh Pant before he gets into full flow, as the wicketkeeper-batsman demonstrated when he made a scintillating century in the final Test.
Pant, who has not played a T20 for India since January 2020, averages just 20.50 at international level in this format but that figure will surely be on the rise before long.
Key Opta Facts
- Kohli has dropped more catches than any other fielder from a Test-playing nation in men's T20Is since the start of 2019 (seven), three of which were rated as easy chances.
- Malan has the highest batting average of any man to log 10 or more T20I innings (53.4 from 19 knocks). Her has reached 50 in seven of his 12 overseas knocks.
- KL Rahul recorded 670 runs from his 14 knocks in the 2020 IPL. He comes into this series having scored more runs in men's T20Is than anyone else since November 2019 (643).
- Yuzvendra Chahal is responsible for the best figures ever recorded against England in a men's T20I (6/25 in February 2017). The spinner is the leading wicket-taker in this fixture (nine), but has only claimed 15 scalps at an average of just 42.1 since the start of 2019.
West Indies all-rounder Romario Shepherd is no different.
The Guyanese fast bowler and right-handed batsman, who dazzled with the bat with an unbeaten 44 in the second T20 international between the West Indies and England yesterday, has put his name in the last three IPL auctions but is yet to be awarded a contract.
Speaking in a press conference today, Shepherd says the dream, which at this point is very close to reality, is still alive.
“It’s a great platform for any youngster. Many people dream to go to the IPL and I’m no different. It’s something that I’ve dreamed about for a very long time. My name was in the draft for the last three years so this year I’m definitely looking forward to it,” he said.
In the midst of a five-match T20I series with England at the moment, Shepherd says his full focus is on helping the West Indies win.
“I’m trying my best to get there but, at the same time, trying my best to help us win this series. I try to focus on what is at hand right now and try to put my all in there. Eventually, if an IPL contract comes that would be great for me but I try not to think about it while in the game,” Shepherd said.
Shepherd has so far played 11 T20 Internationals with 100 runs and eight wickets to his name.
The IPL player auction is scheduled to take place on February 12 and 13 and he will have another opportunity to enhance his reputation when the West Indies and England square off in the third of five T20 internationals in Barbados on Wednesday.
The magnificent Ollie Robinson took 5-65 as England claimed eight wickets in a dramatic morning session on day four, bowling India out for 278 to win by an innings and 76 runs.
That resounding victory squared the series at 1-1 with two matches to play and took Root's tally of Test wins as skipper to 27, moving the in-form captain beyond Michael Vaughan's total.
Root, who made a sixth Test hundred this year in the first innings in Leeds and a third of this series, thanked the team-mates and coaches who have enabled him to set the record.
"As I mentioned before the game, I'm living my boyhood dream captaining England," said Root.
"I couldn't be more proud to have gone past Michael but you don't do that on your own as a captain, it's down to the group of players and the coaching staff as well.
"You're the one making the decisions but they are the ones going out, time and time again putting in performances. I'm really proud of the way they have done that this week.
"I'm sat here now at 1-1 with a big, smiley dressing-room and two big games ahead of us."
Root is only five Tests away from surpassing Alastair Cook's record of the longest-serving England captain, with the former opener having taken charge 59 times.
The 30-year-old says he has not given any thought over how long he will stay in the role.
"It's been a very challenging period throughout my tenure as captain, there has been a lot to contend with, a lot around the games, and not necessarily all the full focus has been on the field," said Root.
"But that's part and parcel of the job. I haven't put a time limit on it. As long as I am enjoying it, as long as we feel like we are moving in the right direction and that I am the right man for it in my own mind, I am more than happy to keep doing it."
Virat Kohli made 55 and Cheteshwar Pujara failed to add to his overnight total of 91 as India were blown away on the penultimate day, Craig Overton finishing with 3-47, with James Anderson and Moeen Ali taking a wicket apiece.
Ollie Robinson's Test debut at Lord's last week was marred when offensive Twitter posts by the paceman – posted in 2012 and 2013 – were highlighted.
The 27-year-old had an impressive debut on the field in the series-opening draw with New Zealand, but is now suspended while the ECB conduct an investigation.
It has subsequently been reported that posts from several England players across the Test and one-day set-ups are also being looked into.
However, Root is now hoping for a full switch of focus back to the matter at hand, which is England attempting to clinch a series win over the Black Caps at Edgbaston.
"We want to move forward in a really positive way," Root told BBC Sport.
"We've had to face up to some ugly truths this past week or so and there will be challenges moving forward.
"But the group of players we have now is very much committed to moving the game forward, to making it a better place, making it more inclusive and educating ourselves further.
"We're going to have to front up to what has happened, but ultimately we want to move forward in a really positive way, to keep going on this journey we've started of trying to better our sport.
"We will continue to do that because that's how we all feel."
A near-capacity crowd of 17,000 will be allowed at Edgbaston as coronavirus restrictions are relaxed, and Root is aiming to put on a show for the spectators, after his team received some criticism for holding out for a draw on the final day at Lord's, rather than attempt to mount a 273-run chase.
"We're all very aware we're in the entertainment business," Root, who wants to dispel any notion of his team being negative, told reporters.
"We all want to be part of those games, those special games that provide that entertainment. They're the ones that you remember.
"The ones that stick in my mind are the World Cup final, Headingley, Cape Town – the ones that go to the wire, they're the ones you remember as a player, and want to have big contributions in.
"I look at the situation we found ourselves in and I still feel we made the right decision [at Lord's]. We've turned up here with an opportunity to win the series, albeit it is not part of the Test championship, but it is a Test match and that means a hell of a lot to the players and the group.
"We're very keen to put in five days of strong cricket this week and win the series. If the opportunities arise, we'll definitely look to be aggressive.
"I don't want us to be considered a negative team who play a boring brand of cricket.
"We have some very exciting players who are capable of some wonderful passages of cricket and hopefully that will come to light this week."
Delayed by a year after a COVID-19 outbreak in the India camp forced a Test originally scheduled for Old Trafford to be cancelled, a fascinating conclusion is in store at Edgbaston.
The hosts will have confidence of chasing down 378 after reaching stumps on 259-3 with the two men who hit the winning runs as England clinched a 3-0 win over New Zealand last week - Joe Root (76 not out) and Jonny Bairstow (72no) continuing their outstanding form.
India, who have dominated much of this match, were earlier dismissed for 245, and a seemingly ominous target that would break England's previous record chase of 362 against Australia in 2019.
Stokes (4-33) polished off the India tail with the final three wickets. Prior to that, Matthew Potts (2-50) did much of the hard work in reducing the tourists - who were 125-3 at the start of play - from what had looked like a commanding position at 153-3, with smart hands from Root allowing Jack Leach to remove the dangerous Rishabh Pant (57).
Despite getting little from their lower order, India may have felt comfortable defending such a lofty target. Any such feeling was quickly dispelled as Alex Lees and Zak Crawley belied their struggles opening the batting by reaching 100 inside 20 overs.
Crawley was denied his 50 as he left a Jasprit Bumrah delivery that clipped off stump and when the bowler removed Ollie Pope for a duck and Lees was run out after tea, India looked to be turning the tide.
But as they did consistently against New Zealand, Root and Bairstow wrested the momentum in aggressive fashion, both once again displaying the fluency and timing that has turned England's Test fortunes around and could now rescue this series.
Anderson achieves another milestone
Jimmy Anderson was not overly involved in limiting India's second-innings lead in a wicket-taking capacity, but his catch at midwicket to dismiss Shreyas Iyer saw him join a select group as he claimed his 100th catch.
Indeed, he became the sixth player in Tests to register 1000 runs, 100 wickets and 100 catches. Also on that list are Garfield Sobers, Ian Botham, Carl Hooper, Shane Warne and Jacques Kallis.
Lees and Crawley lay platform
Lees' half-century came in just 44 balls, making it the fourth-fastest by an England opener. His stand of 107 with Crawley was England's sixth fourth-innings opening partnership of 100 or more this century. It was also the highest such England partnership at Edgbaston.
After a Bumrah-inspired blip, Root and Bairstow took advantage of that platform, putting on 150 in 197 balls. Bairstow's lone six was England's 58th of 2022, putting them seven shy of their record total of 65 from 2005 with a three-Test series with South Africa and a tour of Pakistan still to come.
England head into the fifth Test at Old Trafford 2-1 down in the series after India produced another stirring comeback to prevail by 157 runs at The Oval.
It puts Root in the unenviable position of having to measure the risk against the potential reward of salvaging the series, with Anderson and Robinson having taken on the majority of the workload in the attack.
The absence of all-rounder Ben Stokes, who is taking time away from the game to focus on his mental health, and the injured Jofra Archer, as well as fitness issues for Mark Wood, has led to Anderson (163.3) and Robinson (166.2) bowling 329.5 overs between them.
Robinson is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 21 while Anderson has been similarly impressive, claiming 15 dismissals, but the latter is 39 and management of his playing time is key with The Ashes coming in Australia in December.
Root, who confirmed that Jos Buttler would return as his vice-captain and keep wicket after missing the fourth Test for the birth of his second child, and the selectors have yet to come to a decision on the make-up of the attack.
"That's something that we will weigh up over the next couple of days, these two days are really important for recovery, making sure they're in a position to play Test cricket," he told a media conference.
"You have to trust the medical advice that's been given and also speak to the players as well, they know their own bodies better than anyone else.
"You never want to go into a Test match putting someone under risk of injury, you want to make sure you do the best thing for a player but you also you don't want to go into a Test match, have someone go down injured and you've one less bowler at your disposal.
"There are a number of things to factor in, we'll make sure we feel very confident that everyone is fit to take the field and put in a Test-worthy performance when it comes round to selecting a team for this game."
While Robinson and Anderson have excelled with the ball, Root has been the sole standout with the bat for England, racking up 564 runs including three hundreds in a sparkling series for the world's number one Test batsman.
Though openers Rory Burns and Haseeb Hameed have each scored a pair of half-centuries, no other player in the side has a ton this series, with Root believing clarity of thought is key to his team-mates changing that fact.
"It's not something that I've always got right, there's been long periods of my career where I was very guilty of getting in and getting out and it might happen again in the future, I really hope it doesn't," Root added.
"What I have managed to do well so far this year is I know how I want to score my runs, I know where my big strengths are, I just back them completely. Trusted my decision-making under pressure, not doubted it, and when I have got in I've felt like I've had that mindset of 'it's going to take something very special to get me out'.
"Hopefully that can be infectious and feed through the rest of the batting group. It just takes that one person to go on and do it, it can very quickly spread like wildfire and feed into the rest of the group. Hopefully that can materialise this week."
Another entertaining match between the sides continued on Sunday, as the tourists – resuming on 168-5 in their second innings – were bowled out for 326, courtesy of Jack Leach's first 10-wicket Test haul.
That set England a target of 296 – a significant score but not even the largest Ben Stokes' newly confident side have chased down in this series.
And they will resume in a commanding position on day five, with Ollie Pope (81 not out) and Joe Root (55 no) firmly set and within sight of victory on 183-2.
The latest century stand between Daryl Mitchell and Tom Blundell – their fourth of the series – had earlier appeared to swing momentum back in New Zealand's favour following the late flurry of wickets on Saturday.
But that three-hour, 252-ball stand was ended with the Black Caps on 274-5. Four balls after Blundell (88 no) was saved by DRS, Matthew Potts (3-66) rapped Mitchell on the knee roll to see him depart lbw for 56.
Leach (5-66) took over from there, soon accounting for Michael Bracewell and then both Tim Southee and Neil Wagner in the same over.
When his second five-for of the match was completed bowling to Trent Boult, England – who replaced Ben Foakes with COVID substitute Sam Billings – had a realistic shot at victory.
Those hopes were dented when Zak Crawley's cover drive was cut off by Kane Williamson, who brilliantly picked out Boult to remove the stumps with Alex Lees well short.
Crawley (25) was perhaps at fault for that run-out and was caught by Williamson soon after, but Pope and Root steadied the ship, each passing 50 with an array of superb shots late in the day.
Root leading latest chase
If England complete the job on Monday, they will become the first team in Test history to successfully chase a target of at least 250 three times in a single series.
The hosts have made a habit of digging deep and entertaining in equal measure in this series, best epitomised by Root's knock, in which he survived hopeful-at-best Williamson reviews from consecutive balls and then got to work – the highlight a remarkable reverse-scoop for six.
Brilliant Blundell
Blundell became the highest-scoring visiting wicketkeeper in a Test series in England, this time doing the heavy lifting opposite regular partner Mitchell.
The pair have scored over half of the tourists' runs across the three matches.
England were set a target of 277 for victory on Saturday and reached 216-5, helped by Root (77 not out) and Stokes (54), to leave them needing 61 runs on Sunday.
Stuart Broad helped spark England's fightback in the opening session, which was delayed by 30 minutes by rain, with the hosts taking three wickets in three balls.
Daryl Mitchell (108) was dismissed by Broad, shortly after reaching his second Test century, before Colin de Grandhomme and Kyle Jamieson both went for golden ducks.
Tim Southee looked to keep the runs ticking over for New Zealand, but Tom Blundell was pinned lbw by James Anderson just four runs short of a century.
England maintained that momentum thanks to debutants Matt Potts and Matt Parkinson, who trapped Ajaz Patel (four) and caught Southee (21) at slip respectively.
That left England chasing a target of 277, but they were 99-4 at tea after losing Alex Lees (20), Zak Crawley (nine), Ollie Pope (10) and Jonny Bairstow (16) cheaply.
Jamieson was responsible for the quick wickets of Lees and Crawley, with the openers only able to put up a 31-run stand as the contest again swung back in the Kiwis' favour.
Pope, promoted to number three, was unable to make any significant inroads before being bowled by a Trent Boult beauty, with Bairstow next to fall to Jamieson.
That put the onus firmly on Root and Stokes, who did a good job of keeping New Zealand's bowlers at bay.
The resolve of Stokes, who was saved by a no-ball after chopping on to his own stumps from De Grandhomme on one run, eventually ended when snaffled by Blundell.
Root made it to 77 alongside Ben Foakes (nine) come the end of play, though, meaning England are still in with a big shot of victory heading into day four.
Kiwis collapse at Lord's
Blundell and Mitchell put on a 195-run partnership for New Zealand's fifth wicket. Either side of that, the tourists scored just 191 for 16.
The Kiwis lost their last six wickets for just 35 runs, in fact, opening the door for England to pounce.
Root on verge of milestone
Not for the first time, England's hopes of claiming victory on Sunday will likely come down to Root, who added 43 runs from 42 balls after the dismissal of Stokes.
He is now just 23 runs short of becoming the second England player after Alastair Cook to reach 10,000 and the 14th player overall in men's Tests.
Matthew Mott's side are on the brink of an early elimination this month, with their 20-over title defence seemingly crumbling without escaping the group stage.
England struggled before rain washed out their opener with Scotland, who are the favourites to progress after Australia overcame Buttler's side on Saturday.
The defending champions must beat Oman and Namibia, while needing Australia to overcome Scotland by a less-than-narrow margin to have any hopes of going through on net run-rate.
That has brought questions over Buttler's tenure as England captain, though Root placed his backing in the 33-year-old, a former international team-mate and good friend of his.
"Jos is one of my good friends," the England Test star said. "I think he's a brilliant captain, so I don't think there's any question.
"I think they'll be absolutely fine, they've got a wonderful squad of players. They know exactly what they need to do.
"When it's all laid out and they've got their backs to the wall, which they have in this situation now, is when they play their best cricket.
"It could really bring the best out of them, so I've got no worries whatsoever.
"If they go out and do what they all know that they're capable of doing, we'll be finding ourselves in the Super 8s and the back-end of the tournament where it really matters to play our best stuff."
England face Oman on Thursday before meeting Namibia on Saturday, when Scotland go against Australia later in the day, boasting the advantage of knowing what result is required to progress.
That is on the minds of Australian players, too, with bowler Josh Hazlewood weighing up the options of helping send England out of the competition.
England coach Mott hopes the Australia quick's comments were in jest, though matters could be out of his side's hands come the weekend in the United States and West Indies.
