London: England have confirmed a 16-man squad for the Ashes tour of Australia, with Ben Stokes named captain and Harry Brook promoted to vice-captain in place of Ollie Pope.
Stokes, who missed the final Test against India at The Oval on July 31 with a shoulder injury, has been passed fit to lead the side. The England management said the all-rounder “remains on track to be available for the start of the Test series”, which begins in Perth on November 21.
Brook’s elevation is the standout selection call. The Yorkshire batter has been one of England’s most consistent performers and takes over the deputy role from Pope, who retains his place in the squad as a specialist batter.
Wood and Bashir return
Fast bowler Mark Wood is back after recovering from a left knee injury, while spinner Shoaib Bashir returns following a finger problem. Durham seamer Matthew Potts is included after last featuring in December 2024 against New Zealand, and Surrey all-rounder Will Jacks earns a recall more than three years after his most recent Test cap against Pakistan in December 2022.
Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue complete a pace attack built for Australian conditions, with Joe Root, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith — the designated wicketkeeper — forming the core of the batting unit alongside Stokes, Brook and Pope. Jacob Bethell provides the squad’s youthful X-factor.
The drought England must end
England drew 2-2 with Australia on home soil in 2023 but have not won a series Down Under since the famous 2010-11 triumph. After Perth, the tour moves to Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney for what promises to be a defining examination of the Stokes era.
Pope’s demotion the big call
The decision to strip Ollie Pope of the vice-captaincy is the clearest signal yet of where England’s leadership sees its future. Pope, who has captained in Stokes’ absence before, stays in the touring party as a specialist batter — but the deputy role now belongs to Brook, whose all-format rise shows no sign of slowing.
The squad otherwise picks itself. Ten of the sixteen have never toured Australia for an Ashes series, a reminder of how much turnover England’s Test side has seen since the last trip Down Under.
Australia’s fortress
What awaits them is daunting. Australia have not lost a home Ashes series since 2010-11, and the 2023 drawn series in England — 2-2, with the Manchester Test washed out — only sharpened their appetite. Pat Cummins’ side, fresh from the home Test series against South Africa in October, will be battle-hardened.
For Stokes, it is personal too. This is the defining assignment of his captaincy: end fifteen years of hurt, or watch another Ashes slip away on Australian soil.
England Ashes squad: Ben Stokes (capt), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood.
