England name Ashes squad - with Ollie Pope replaced as vice-captain and one big surprise inclusion as Ben Stokes' side look to upset the odds Down Under

Harry Brook has been anointed as England’s likely next Test captain after he was named as Ben Stokes’s deputy in a 16-man Ashes squad whose biggest surprise is the inclusion of Surrey’s Will Jacks.

Brook, who this summer took charge of England’s white-ball teams, replaces Ollie Pope as vice-captain, theoretically making Pope more vulnerable to losing his spot at No 3 to Jacob Bethell ahead of the first Test against Australia at Perth on November 21.

It leaves Brook, who has 10 hundreds from 30 Tests and an impressive average of 57, in pole position to take over the top job whenever Stokes calls it a day – or sooner, if his creaking body packs in prematurely. 

For the moment, Stokes remains on course to recover in time from the shoulder injury that ruled him out of the final Test of the summer.

Brook’s promotion makes sense after he forged a strong working relationship with Brendon McCullum during the home white-ball series against West Indies and South Africa, winning eight games and losing three. 

And while he still needs to finesse some of his public pronouncements, his in-house messaging is brief and clear – just how McCullum likes it.

Pope won three and lost two of his Tests as stand-in captain, but averaged just 34 in the recent series against India, and is under pressure after Bethell finally ticked off his first professional hundred during the one-dayers against South Africa. The pressure has grown following this demotion.

The selection of Jacks, whose two Test caps both came in Pakistan in December 2022, is at the expense of leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, who has been handed the consolation prize of selection for next month’s white-ball trip to New Zealand.

And while McCullum has already confirmed that Shoaib Bashir remains the first-choice Test spinner, Jacks’s ability with the bat – a stronger suit than his off-breaks – could yet count in his favour as England seek to win the Ashes for the first time since 2015.

In a squad packed with fast bowlers, including Mark Wood – back from long-standing knee trouble – there is no place for Hampshire’s 22-year-old tearaway Sonny Baker, nor for Chris Woakes, who was not considered after it became clear the shoulder he dislocated during the Oval Test against India would not fully heal in time. Instead, Durham’s Matthew Potts steps into the role of workhorse.

Meanwhile, Test opener Zak Crawley is among a 15-man party for the three T20s in New Zealand starting on October 18 – a format in which he has never represented England.