England name squad for Ashes opener; Wood, Bashir included
What's the story
England have announced a 12-man squad for the first Test of The Ashes against Australia, starting November 21 in Perth. The team includes off-spinner Shoaib Bashir and five fast bowlers. In a major development, pacer Mark Wood has been declared fit and is likely to play in the opener. He has recovered from hamstring soreness. The final decision will likely be between Bashir and seamer Brydon Carse.
Strategy
England's potential pace attack strategy
According to reports, the wicket in Perth is expected to have a grass cover. Therefore, England have gone with four pacers in Wood, Jofra Archer, Carse, and Gus Atkinson. The squad includes four specialist pacers and all-rounder Ben Stokes. However, the dryness of the pitch at Perth Stadium has also brought Bashir into contention. Joe Root is also a potential option among spinners.
Takeaways
A look at key takeaways
Bashir, 22, has been England's first-choice spinner for over a year. However, he hasn't played an international match since July when he took the last wicket in a thrilling win over India at Lord's. According to ESPNcricinfo, Wood bowled for "40 minutes in the Perth nets" during Tuesday's training session. He was England's leading wicket-taker in the 2021/22 Ashes Down Under (17 wickets at 26.64). Notably, England last played an XI without a specialist spinner in Australia in 1998.
Information
England squad for 1st Ashes Test
England squad for 1st Ashes Test: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wicket-keeper), Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, and Shoaib Bashir.