England name Ashes squad with Brook named vice-captain and Will Jacks as surprise inclusion

England has named its 16-man squad for the Ashes series in Australia, with Harry Brook appointed as vice-captain, replacing Ollie Pope. Brook’s elevation signals a clear path toward England’s leadership succession plan, as Ben Stokes continues to manage his recovery from a shoulder issue ahead of the first Test in Perth on November 21. The selection also includes Surrey’s Will Jacks, the biggest surprise in a group otherwise stocked with pace-bingers and proven Test operators.

Stokes remains the captain for now, with England hoping he will be able to contribute in Australia after sidelining himself for the closing stages of the summer. Brook’s appointment follows his productive tenure as England’s white-ball leader this summer and a strong working relationship with head coach Brendon McCullum during the home white-ball series against West Indies and South Africa, where England won eight of 11 matches. Brook has 10 hundreds from 30 Tests and an impressive average of 57, underscoring why he is viewed as a long-term successor to Stokes in the captaincy line.

Will Jacks’s inclusion is the notable twist. The 24-year-old’s two Test caps, both earned in Pakistan in December 2022, are a far cry from the experience of some of England’s peers, but his capability with the bat adds depth to a top-to-bottom batting lineup as England aim to reclaim the urn after a 2015 drought. Jacks’s presence comes at the expense of leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, who was rewarded with a white-ball assignment to New Zealand next month instead. McCullum has already signaled that Shoaib Bashir remains England’s first-choice Test spinner, leaving Jacks to contribute with the bat as England seek to widen their options in Australia.

ASHES TEST SQUAD Ben Stokes (capt), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (vice-capt), Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wkt), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood

The absence of Hampshire’s 22-year-old pace option Sonny Baker and the still-recovering Chris Woakes removes two experienced depth options from the pace department, paving the way for Matthew Potts to assume a more prominent workload as England’s workhorse in the series. Potts, who has impressed with his stamina and consistency, is expected to shoulder the burden alongside Wood and Archer in the England quicks’ rotation.

Pope’s demotion as vice-captain comes amid a challenging spell for the former opener, who led in three wins and two defeats as stand-in captain but averaged just 34 in the India series. The shift elevates Bethell’s potential, and the Yorkshireman’s first professional century in the one-dayers against South Africa gave him a strong case to push for inclusion in limited-overs formats.

In a separate development, Crawley is listed among a 15-man party for England’s three T20s in New Zealand beginning October 18, a format in which he has yet to represent England in official matches. The move underscores England’s broader squad rotation strategy and the intention to test a wider group across formats ahead of the Ashes.

The Ashes tour remains England’s centerpiece objective for the winter, with the opening Test scheduled for November in Perth. The squad’s mix emphasizes pace and power, with Stokes, Brook, and Jacks all offering batting depth and leadership potential, interpreted by England as a foundation for a bold bid to win in Australia for the first time since 2015. The team is expected to travel to Perth later this year, with a tight schedule and conditions that will suit fast bowling and aggressive batting approaches.

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