England has announced their squad for the upcoming Ashes series in Australia, including the surprise inclusion of Will Jacks. Jacks, a versatile player from Surrey, will serve as the secondary spinner behind Shoaib Bashir, while Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, and Liam Dawson have been left out of the squad.
In a notable change, Harry Brook has been appointed as the new vice-captain, taking over from Ollie Pope as the deputy to Ben Stokes. This decision has raised questions about Pope’s position at No.3, with Jacob Bethell also vying for a spot in the team.
Having led England in five matches during Stokes’ absence, Pope’s captaincy experience will be crucial given Stokes’ injury history. Brook, who has impressed as the limited-overs captain, will need to be prepared to step up if needed.
Jacks, who last played Test cricket in Pakistan three years ago, showcased his skills by taking six wickets in a single innings and scoring 89 runs. The 16-man squad features a strong pace-bowling lineup, with Durham’s Matthew Potts earning a call-up in place of the injured Chris Woakes and retired Jamie Overton.
The pace attack will be bolstered by Mark Wood and Jofra Archer, alongside Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, and Josh Tongue. England plans to rotate their fast bowlers to manage workload and prevent injuries, especially with Wood and Archer facing fitness concerns.
With the experienced Stokes in the mix, England will rely on him to navigate the challenges of the five-match series. Meanwhile, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett will open the batting, with Joe Root aiming to break his century drought in Australia at the No.4 position.
Behind the stumps, Jamie Smith will continue his impressive form in Test cricket, maintaining an average of 48.86 across his first 15 matches, including two centuries.
The full Ashes squad 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.
