England name Ashes squad for 2025-26 series including two huge calls

England have named their squad for the Ashes series starting later this year Down Under, handing a surprise recall to Will Jacks. Surrey all-rounder Jacks will act as back-up spinner to Shoaib Bashir, with Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach and Liam Dawson overlooked.

There is also a new vice-captain, with white-ball skipper Harry Brook replacing Ollie Pope as Ben Stokes' deputy. That will put further scrutiny on Pope's position at No.3 with Jacob Bethell challenging for his spot.

Pope has skippered England five times in Stokes' absence, and given the talismanic all-rounder's injury record, Brook will need to be ready to step into the breach if required having impressed in his job as limited-overs chief.

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Jacks' previous two Tests came in Pakistan three years ago. He took six wickets, all in the same innings, and scored 89 runs.

The 16-man squad includes a stacked pace-bowling cohort, including a recall for Durham's Matthew Potts with Chris Woakes injured and Jamie Overton having retired from Test cricket.

Potts joins speedsters Mark Wood and Jofra Archer with Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue also in the squad. England are expected to rotate their seamers with Wood and Archer in particular having suffered from a series of injuries.

They will be supported by Stokes who England will be hoping can get through the rigours of a five-match series. The 34-year-old is still rehabilitating from the shoulder injury that kept him out of the final Test against India.

Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett will continue their partnership at the top of the order with Joe Root at four, hoping to finally score his first century in Australia and get the monkey off his back.

Jamie Smith will carry on behind the stumps having enjoyed a stellar start to his Test career, averaging 48.86 through his first 15 matches with two centuries.

England's Ashes squad: 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, Mark Wood.

Ashes Schedule

• First Test, Perth: November 21-25
• Second Test, Adelaide: December 4-8
• Third Test, Brisbane: December 17-21
• Fourth Test, Melbourne: December 26-30
• Fifth Test, Sydney: January 4-8