England has announced their squad for the upcoming Ashes series in Australia, surprising many by recalling Will Jacks to the team. Jacks, an all-rounder from Surrey, will serve as the backup spinner to Shoaib Bashir, while Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, and Liam Dawson were not selected.
In a notable change, Harry Brook has been named the new vice-captain, taking over from Ollie Pope as deputy to Ben Stokes. This decision has raised questions about Pope’s position at No.3, especially with Jacob Bethell vying for a place in the team.
Pope has led the England team in five matches in the absence of Stokes, who has been plagued by injuries. Brook, known for his performance in limited-overs cricket, will need to be prepared to step up if needed.
Jacks previously played two Tests in Pakistan three years ago, where he impressed with six wickets in a single innings and 89 runs. The 16-member squad includes Durham’s Matthew Potts, who has been recalled due to injuries to Chris Woakes and Jamie Overton’s retirement from Test cricket.
The squad features a strong pace-bowling lineup with Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, and Josh Tongue alongside Potts. England is expected to rotate their bowlers, particularly Wood and Archer, who have faced injury concerns.
Stokes, who is still recovering from a shoulder injury, will provide support to the team as they aim to navigate the challenges of the five-match series. Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett will open the batting, with Joe Root at No.4 seeking his first century in Australia.
Behind the stumps, Jamie Smith will continue his impressive Test career, boasting an average of 48.86 in his first 15 matches, including two centuries.
The complete Ashes squad for England comprises Ben Stokes (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (vice-captain), Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Josh Tongue, and Mark Wood.