England's Ashes Squad Update: Jacks and Potts Picked, Woakes Dropped, Brook Named Vice-Captain

England's Ashes Squad Update: Jacks and Potts Picked, Woakes Dropped, Brook Named Vice-Captain

Ashes 2025: Harry Brook has been named as England’s vice-captain for the upcoming Ashes series against Australia, while Chris Woakes missed out on the squad.

Despite still recovering from a shoulder injury, Ben Stokes has been named captain of England for the upcoming Ashes series. The 16-member squad was announced on Tuesday, September 23. Stokes is expected to be fit in time for the series.

Two fresh faces Matthew Potts and Will Jacks have been added to the squad. Jack's, who missed the recent white-ball series against New Zealand due to a finger injury, is likely to be fit before the Ashes begin. Potts, a fast bowler from Durham, last played a Test in December 2024 against New Zealand. He has taken 28 wickets in 10 County Championship matches this season, with a best of 4 for 84. Jack, from Surrey, last played a Test in December 2022 against Pakistan and recently scored 136 runs in three innings, including a big knock of 119.

Harry Brook has been promoted to vice-captain, replacing Ollie Pope. Fast bowler Mark Wood is back in the squad after recovering from a knee injury. Spinner Shoaib Bashir, who injured his finger during the India series, has also been included.

The squad features experienced players like Joe Root, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, and Pope. Jamie Smith will take up wicketkeeping duties. Jofra Archer, who returned to Test cricket during the India series, will lead the pace attack. He’ll be supported by Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, Wood, and Potts. Bashir is the main spinner, while Root, Jacob Bethell, and Jacks offer extra spin options.

One notable absence is Chris Woakes. The 36-year-old injured his shoulder during the Oval Test against India while diving to stop a boundary. Despite the injury, he bravely came out to bat with his arm in a sling on the final day. Woakes had hoped to recover without surgery and be ready for the Ashes, saying, “Going to try and stay focused on the rehab and get it as strong as possible. Ideally, not for surgery for now, but we’ll see how that goes.”

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

Before heading into the Ashes, England will travel to New Zealand for a limited-overs series that includes three T20Is and three ODIs. Harry Brook, who has taken on leadership duties in white-ball formats, will captain the team once again.

Some senior players Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith, and Jofra Archer will be rested for the T20I leg of the tour. In their absence.

England ODI Squad: Rehan Ahmed, Harry Brook (C), Sonny Baker, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell, Brydon Carse, Liam Dawson, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root ,Jamie Overton, Jamie Smith, Luke Wood

England T20I Squad: Harry Brook (C), Sonny Baker, Rehan Ahmed, Tom Banton, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Jacob Bethell, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Zak Crawley, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Jamie Overton, Phil Salt, Luke Wood

England will kick off their tour of New Zealand with a T20I match in Christchurch on October 18. After the three-match T20I series, the ODI leg will begin on October 26 in Mount Maunganui and wrap up on November 1. This limited-overs tour will serve as a warm-up before the high-profile Ashes series.

Once the New Zealand tour ends, England’s Ashes squad will gather in Perth during the second week of November. The first Test of the Ashes will be played at Optus Stadium starting on November 21. The series will then move across Australia, with matches scheduled in Brisbane, Adelaide, and Melbourne, before concluding at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in early January.

Alongside the main Ashes squad, the England Lions team will also be touring Australia. They’ll play matches in Perth, Canberra, and Brisbane, providing backup options and giving younger players exposure. The Lions squad is expected to be announced in the coming weeks.