England’s squad for the upcoming Ashes series in Australia has been announced, featuring a surprise inclusion of all-rounder Will Jacks from Surrey as a backup spinner to Shoaib Bashir. The squad sees a change in vice-captaincy, with Harry Brook taking over from Ollie Pope as Ben Stokes’ deputy. Pope, who has led England in Stokes’ absence, may face competition for his No.3 position from Jacob Bethell.
Jacks, who previously played two Tests in Pakistan three years ago, impressed with six wickets and 89 runs in a single innings. The 16-man squad boasts a strong pace-bowling lineup, including the return of Durham’s Matthew Potts in place of the injured Chris Woakes and retired Jamie Overton.
The pace attack will be supported by Stokes, who is recovering from a shoulder injury, aiming to endure the demands of the five-match series. The batting order will feature Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett opening, with Joe Root at fourth position seeking his first century in Australia. Jamie Smith will retain the wicketkeeping duties, maintaining an impressive average of 48.86 in his first 15 matches, including two centuries.
The full Ashes squad includes 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.
The Ashes series schedule will soon be underway, with England gearing up for a challenging competition against Australia.
