Ashes 2025-26: England name 16-member squad for Australia tour, Harry Brook appointed as vice-captain

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have named a strong 16-member squad for the impending edition of the Ashes, which gets underway on November 21, with the first Test scheduled to be held at the Perth Stadium.

The talismanic Ben Stokes will lead the Three Lions as they look to reclaim the urn from Pat Cummins and Co. They have not beaten Australia since winning 3-2 at home in 2015. Meanwhile, Stokes will have a new deputy in the series, as Harry Brook replaces Ollie Pope as the vice-captain of England's red-ball team. Brook took over as England's white-ball captain earlier this year after Jos Buttler stepped down following a disappointing Champions Trophy 2025 campaign.

Durham fast bowler Mark Wood returns to the Test squad following his recovery from a left knee injury. The 35-year-old has not played Test cricket for England since August 2024. Meanwhile, Somerset off-spinner Shoaib Bashir is available again after recovering from the finger injury sustained during the home series against India.

Fast bowler Matthew Potts and destructive batter Will Jacks have also earned call-ups for the marquee series. The latter played two Tests against Pakistan in December 2022. He will miss the white-ball tour of New Zealand with a broken finger, but is expected to recover in time to play in the Ashes.

Potts, meanwhile, has not played Test cricket since the game against New Zealand at Seddon Park in December 2024. The 26-year-old has picked up 36 wickets from 10 Tests in his career so far.

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Stokes continues his recovery from the shoulder injury that ruled him out of the fifth and final Test against India at the Kia Oval and remains in contention to be available for the start of the Test series against the Aussies.

England Men's Test squad for 2025/26 Ashes Series: Ben Stokes (C), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (VC), Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Mark Wood.