Surprise in England’s Ashes Squad, Brook Named Vice-Captain

In red-ball cricket, the Ashes is always the grandest stage — England versus Australia. Ahead of the much-anticipated battle, England have announced their 16-member squad.

Despite injury concerns, England have kept faith in Ben Stokes. Although he is nursing a shoulder injury, selectors have retained him as captain, and he will continue to lead the side.

The biggest surprise is Harry Brook. Consistent performances with the bat have earned him a new responsibility — he has been appointed vice-captain under Stokes. Not only that, Brook will also captain the side in the upcoming ODI and T20I series against New Zealand. After leading during the Ireland series, his leadership skills will now be tested on a bigger stage.

However, England will miss experienced all-rounder Chris Woakes. Despite playing a courageous innings at The Oval against India after picking up a shoulder injury, his recovery is not yet complete, ruling him out of the Ashes — a significant blow in terms of experience.

In the pace department, Jofra Archer makes a return after overcoming injuries, having performed impressively in India. He will be joined by Mark Wood, Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, and new call-up Matthew Potts. The spin attack will be spearheaded by Shoaib Bashir, with support from all-rounder Will Jacks, Jacob Bethell, and experienced campaigner Joe Root.

England’s Ashes Squad:
Ben Stokes (captain), Harry Brook (vice-captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Mark Wood.

Following their New Zealand tour, the England squad will assemble in Perth in the second week of November. The Ashes series will begin on 21 November at Optus Stadium and continue in Brisbane, Adelaide, and Melbourne, before concluding in Sydney in early January.