Ashes 2025/26: Ben Stokes, Mark Wood and Jofra Archer included in England's 16-player squad for series in Australia

Ben Stokes, Mark Wood and Jofra Archer have all been included in England's Ashes squad as the trio continue their respective injury comebacks ahead of the series in Australia in November, but there is no place for Chris Woakes.

Captain Stokes is recovering from a shoulder injury that saw him miss the fifth and final Test against India at The Oval in August, but "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.

Meanwhile, Harry Brook replaces Ollie Pope as England's Test vice-captain. The Yorkshireman was appointed England's white-ball captain, taking over from Jos Buttler, last year.

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There is also a Test recall for Surrey's Will Jacks, whose only two previous caps came on the victorious tour of Pakistan in 2022.

Jacks, 26, is expected to be fit despite sustaining a broken finger during England's T20I series against South Africa earlier this month.

The all-rounder has also been picked as a potential second spinning option behind fit-again Shoaib Bashir, who fractured a finger in the third-Test victory over India at Lord's in July.

Leicestershire leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed misses out despite impressive performances this season with bat and ball for his county.

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.

Elsewhere, fast bowler Matthew Potts is selected following Jamie Overton's decision to take an indefinite break from Test cricket, hoping to make his first Test appearance since last December against New Zealand in Hamilton.

As well as the 16-strong squad for the Ashes series, England have also selected IT20 and ODI squads for the white-ball tour of New Zealand preceding it and beginning in Christchurch on Saturday October 18.

Zak Crawley receives his first call-up to the IT20 squad, having previously represented England at Test and ODI level.

In the ODI squad, there are call-ups for all-rounders Sam Curran and Liam Dawson. Lancashire seamer Luke Wood is also added after impressing in IT20 cricket for England while Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith and Archer will be rested for the IT20 series.

Lancashire seamer Saqib Mahmood misses the New Zealand tour after undergoing minor knee surgery.

An England Lions squad for the tour of Australia, which will mirror the start of the Ashes with matches in Perth, Canberra and Brisbane, will be announced in due course.

Cork: Jacks' Ashes inclusion 'not a surprise'

Former England pace bowler Dominic Cork believes Will Jacks' inclusion in the Ashes squad is not a surprise given his "multifaceted abilities" as a cricketer.

"Jacks is not a surprise because if you look at how England have been successful in Australia, it's been about spin," Cork told Sky Sports News.

"You look at the likes of Bashir, Jacks, and Root [...] I don't see any big surprises in there. They are going to go pace-oriented because they start at Perth, which is one of the quickest wickets in Australia, and with the record England have got in Australia with pace, it should be a great series."

It has been almost three years since Jacks' last Test cap in 2022, but Cork does not believe that is a reason for concern because the 26-year-old has continued to impress in franchise cricket.

"Jacks has been around enough franchise cricket and I think he knows his game really well," Cork added.

"He's liked by Rob Key [managing director of England men's cricket] and I was at the game where he made his Test debut in Bangladesh. He's played in all three forms of the game so he knows a bit about Test cricket.

"It's a big difference playing a Test series in Bangladesh and then going out to Australia. But he's a very good cricketer. He's a multi-faceted cricketer and he's right up Brendon McCullum's [England's head coach] street.

"He's an aggressive batter. He's a great fielder and he can bowl off-spin. So in some ways it's not a surprise."

England's schedule for remainder of 2025

T20 series in New Zealand (October)

First T20: Saturday October 18 (7.15am) - Hagley Oval, Christchurch

Second T20: Monday October 20 (7.15am) - Hagley Oval, Christchurch

Third T20: Thursday October 23 (7.15am) - Eden Park, Auckland

ODI series in New Zealand (October and November)

First ODI: Sunday October 26 (1am) - Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui

Second ODI: Wednesday October 29 (1am) - Seddon Park, Hamilton

Third ODI: Saturday November 1 (1am) - Sky Stadium, Wellington

The Ashes in Australia (November 2025 - January 2026)

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