Jofra Archer is bowling with the kind of rhythm that makes batsmen nervous. The England speedster, who picked up a crucial three-wicket haul in the second ODI against India in Cardiff, believes his recent success boils down to one simple yet often overlooked factor: consistently hitting his preferred lengths.

"Very pleased with how it's coming. Sometimes the wickets don't always come there, but I think this has probably been the best I've bowled consistently. I don't think I've bowled one bad ball. If it goes for four, that's fine, but I put it where I want to put it," Archer said in a candid chat with broadcasters ahead of the third ODI at Lord's.

For Archer, discipline isn't about bowling faster or trying extravagant variations. It's about repetition and control, regardless of how tired or pumped up he might feel on the day. "Probably just the lengths, to be honest, because some days you're going to bowl faster than some. So as long as you're consistently hitting the length, you can be tired, you can be excited, but as long as you're hitting the same length, then I think that's the real discipline," he explained.

The Barbados-born pacer also highlighted the tactical blueprint for containing India's formidable batting lineup. He believes the key lies in removing their top-order trio early. "He's (Kohli) the key; it's stopping them from getting 300. You get him, you get Rohit, you get Shubman. The others probably will still take them to 300, but I think if you get them out, you significantly stop the chances of that happening," Archer said.

With injuries having sidelined him for significant stretches over the past few years, Archer is now embracing a senior role in England's pace attack. Alongside younger bowlers like Josh Tongue, he's taken on the responsibility of guiding the next generation. But he downplays the idea of leadership being complicated for him; it's all about clear communication.

"I guess I was just lucky to play a few more games. I think he's (Tongue) being a bit modest. I think everyone helps everyone. And it's usually whoever gets the ball first, then you just relay the information. So, like, in the Test stuff, it's mostly him feeding stuff back sometimes," Archer said.

He keeps things refreshingly simple. "I've played a few 50-over games, and it's not that complicated. You just hit the length, and then it just depends if you go straight or if you just go a bit on fourth stump. It's just realising that quickly and then just passing the information on to the other guys."

If Archer continues hitting his spots with such precision, England's chances of sealing the series against India will only grow stronger. And for the batsmen standing opposite him, life isn't going to get any easier.