Star all-rounder with 192 Test wickets and 2034 runs misses out as ECB announces England squad for Ashes 2025

Ben Stokes, Mark Wood and Jofra Archer have been included in England's Ashes 2025 squad. The trio continue their respective injury comebacks ahead of the series in Australia in November, but fast bowling all-rounder Chris Woakes, who picked up 192 Test wickets and scored more than 2000 runs, has missed out the spot from England's squad. 

Skipper Ben Stokes, who is currently on the road to recovery from a shoulder injury that he got during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 against India, "remains on track to be available" for the first Test against Australia, starting on Friday November 21 in Perth.

Pace bowler Wood is selected despite being sidelined from England's summer Tests following left knee surgery, but seamer Woakes is not considered because of fitness and his ongoing recovery from a dislocated shoulder sustained during the fifth India Test.

Archer is included for the five-Test series down under following his successful return to the Test side this summer after a four-year absence.

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Harry Brook will take over from Ollie Pope as Ben Stokes’ deputy (vice-captain) for the Ashes 2025. Last year, Brook was made England’s white-ball captain, replacing Jos Buttler.

Surrey’s Will Jacks has been recalled to the Test squad. He only played two Tests before, during England’s successful tour of Pakistan in 2022. Even though Jacks broke a finger during England’s recent T20 series against South Africa, he is expected to be fit for the Ashes.

Jacks is also seen as a possible second spinner for the team, supporting Shoaib Bashir, who is back in action after recovering from a finger fracture he suffered in the Test win over India at Lord’s.

On the other hand, Leicestershire’s leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed missed out on the squad, despite having a good season with both bat and ball for his county.

Fast bowler Matthew Potts has been selected after Jamie Overton decided to take an indefinite break from Test cricket. Overton has not played since last December’s Test against New Zealand in Hamilton.

England Test squad for Ashes tour of Australia
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.