Visitors announce pace-heavy 16-man group charged with regaining the urn for first time since 2015
England will come to Australia with a battery of pace bowlers spearheading their attempt to regain the Ashes, but with questions over their batting line-up and the fitness of several players.
The tourists have named 16 men for the five-Test series including a shock pick as back-up spinner and with Harry Brook taking over from Ollie Pope as vice-captain. Eleven of the party have never played a Test in Australia.
ENGLAND ASHES SQUAD: Ben Stokes (c), Harry Brook (vc), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zac Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood.
Chris Woakes, whose last act as an England player was to bat with a dislocated shoulder on the dramatic last day of the England-India series, has not been included, but six quicks have, including the very rapid duo of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood
Brook’s promotion suggests Pope’s place as No.3 is under threat after a long period of mixed form. Jacob Bethell, who is yet to score a first-class century, is the most likely candidate to replace him but Will Jacks is an outside pick.
The spinning allrounder was a surprise choice as back-up to Shoaib Bashir having previously been mostly considered for the white-ball set-up.
Jacks took six wickets in Rawalpindi on his Test debut in December 2022, did not add to that tally in his next appearance at Multan and had appeared to slip out of England’s red-ball plans entirely.
In the intervening period England have picked six other spinners including Bashir, even dragging Moeen Ali out of retirement to plug a gap during the 2023 Ashes.
Now, after three first-class appearances delivering five wickets this season, Jacks is back in contention perhaps because, like Bashir, he has the height England believe makes spinners effective in Australia.
He is also a fine fielder and versatile batter but is currently nursing a broken finger and will miss next month’s pre-Ashes white-ball tour of New Zealand to complete his recovery.
Also needing to prove their fitness are Bashir, who broke a finger in the fourth Test with India, Wood, who missed the entire northern summer after a knee operation, and the captain Ben Stokes himself, who also missed the last India Test with a shoulder problem.
The England and Wales Cricket Board said Stokes “remains on track to be available for the start of the Test series” but there is a doubt about his fitness to fully contribute as a bowler. If he is unable to play any of the Tests Jacks may well take the allrounder role with Bashir then missing out.
In addition Archer is two Tests into his comeback after four years of setbacks, Brydon Carse has been troubled by a long-standing toe issue, and Gus Atkinson missed the first four Tests against India with a hamstring injury.
With five Tests in seven weeks, starting in Perth on November 21, keeping bowlers fit could be key to who wins the Ashes. Australia meanwhile have their own problems with captain Pat Cummins a doubt for the first Test with a back problem.
– with PA
2025-26 NRMA Insurance Men’s Ashes
First Test: November 21-25, Perth Stadium, 1.30pm AEDT
Second Test: December 4-8, The Gabba, Brisbane (D/N), 3.30pm AEDT
Third Test: December 17-21: Adelaide Oval, 11am AEDT
Fourth Test: December 26-30: MCG, Melbourne, 10.30am AEDT
Fifth Test: January 4-8: SCG, Sydney, 10.30am AEDT
