England has named a 16-member squad for the much-anticipated Test series against Australia, scheduled to begin on November 21. The team faces a setback with Chris Woakes ruled out after dislocating his shoulder in the fifth Test against India at The Oval. Woakes’ absence will be a significant blow, as he was the senior-most bowler in the squad.
Adding to the uncertainty is the fitness of England captain Ben Stokes, who missed the final Test against India due to injury and has been undergoing recovery since. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that Stokes is currently on track to be available for the opening Test in Perth. However, the final decision regarding his participation will be made closer to the match.
“Test Captain Ben Stokes continues his recovery from the shoulder injury that ruled him out of the final Test against India at the Kia Oval and remains on track to be available for the start of the Test series in November,” the ECB said in an official statement.
Will Jacks returns to Test squad
Will Jacks returned to the Test squad for the Australia series. He will be the second spin option as the likes of Rehan Ahmed and Dan Lawrence weren’t considered. Notably, Jacks has played only two Test matches so far, scoring 89 runs and picking up six wickets.
Overall, England can be a little concerned about the lack of experience in their bowling unit. Barring Mark Wood, no other England bowler has played a Test match in Australia, which is something that can bother the team in the high-voltage series. Joe Root’s form with the bat is another thing that will be closely observed as the modern-day legend is yet to score a century in the Down South.
England squad for Australia series: Ben Stokes (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (vice-captain), Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood.