England have included fast bowler Mark Wood in a 12-man squad for the opening Ashes Test in Perth, keeping open the option of a pace-heavy attack at Optus Stadium. Wood was cleared after a tight hamstring sustained on day one of England’s lone warm-up against the Lions and reportedly bowled at high speeds in the nets on Tuesday. The 35-year-old could be in line for his first Test since August 2024.
The enlarged group features quicks Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson and captain Ben Stokes, while Shoaib Bashir has been retained as England’s spin option. With Perth expected to offer significant pace and bounce, selectors may opt for an all-seam attack and leave Bashir — who struggled in the Lilac Hill warm-up with combined figures of 2-151 from 24 overs — out of the final XI. Optus Stadium groundsman Isaac MacDonald stressed that historically pace and bounce have been dominant in Western Australia.
England squad for the first Ashes Test
Ben Stokes (captain), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir
On the possibility of selecting Wood and Archer together — only the second time they could appear in the same Test XI — Stokes said the final team will be announced closer to the match.
Bashir has not featured competitively since July after breaking a little finger in the third Test against India at Lord’s. Wood’s last full outing was in February before knee surgery that kept him out of the home summer.
Ollie Pope secured the No. 3 batting spot over Jacob Bethell after scoring a century and a 90 in the tune-up fixture. Left out of the 12 were Bethell, seamers Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts, and off-spinning all-rounder Will Jacks.
Sky Sports Cricket analyst Michael Atherton described the retention of Bashir as a surprise given his warm-up, noting that Jacks had performed adequately. Atherton suggested the squad signals confidence in Wood’s fitness and that the final call will hinge on side balance and whether a spinner is needed on the surface. He called the prospect of Wood and Archer operating together on a quick Perth pitch “enticing,” and added that the absence of Australia’s experienced pacemen Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins opens a significant opportunity for England.
Gus Atkinson reflected on the magnitude of the series, saying the team has felt the build-up and is excited for the test, particularly the chance to bowl in conditions that have historically favoured pace and seam movement.
Ashes 2025-26 in Australia (UK times)
– 1st Test: Fri 21 Nov – Tue 25 Nov, Optus Stadium, Perth
– 2nd Test (D/N): Thu 4 Dec – Mon 8 Dec, The Gabba, Brisbane
– 3rd Test: Wed 17 Dec – Sun 21 Dec, Adelaide Oval
– 4th Test: Thu 25 Dec – Mon 29 Dec, Melbourne Cricket Ground
– 5th Test: Sun 4 Jan – Thu 8 Jan, Sydney Cricket Ground