The England Cricket Board (ECB) announced a 16-player English squad on Tuesday for the marquee Ashes series against Australia Down Under. Ben Stokes, who missed the fifth and final Test against India in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy due to a shoulder injury, has returned to the thick of things as he will lead the England team, who are eying their first Ashes series win since 2015.
The squad has also seen a change in the leadership group as Harry Brook has been appointed as the deputy of Stokes for the Australia tour, replacing the otherwise in-charge Ollie Pope. Pope’s leadership in Stokes’ absence has been questioned ever since he failed to keep the home team’s 2-1 lead against India as the Shubman Gill side won the final Test at the Oval to level the series two-all. In contrast, Brook has been receiving praises with many calling him a natural leader once he took over the white ball captaincy from Jos Buttler.
The team also witnessed the long-awaited return of ace pacer Mark Wood, who has been away from cricket following his recovery from a left knee injury.
Offie Shoaib Bashir is also available again after recovering from the finger injury sustained during the home series against India. Matthew Potts and batting all-rounder Will Jacks have also been included in the 16-member squad. Potts, who last featured in December 2024 against New Zealand, will join the pace attack alongside Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and Mark Wood.
Liam Dawson, who came in as the injury replacement for Bashir in the fourth Test, could not find his place in the Ashes squad. Meanwhile, Jacks is set to miss the white-ball tour of New Zealand with a broken finger but is expected to be fit for the Ashes.
As per ECB, “Stokes continues his recovery from the shoulder injury that ruled him out of the final Test against India and remains on track to be available for the start of the Test series in November.”
England Squad: Ben Stokes (Durham) – Captain, Jofra Archer (Sussex), Gus Atkinson (Surrey), Shoaib Bashir (Somerset), Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire), Harry Brook (Yorkshire) – Vice-Captain, Brydon Carse (Durham), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Will Jacks (Surrey), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Matthew Potts (Durham), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jamie Smith (Surrey), Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire), Mark Wood (Durham).
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