Ashes 2025: Mark Wood Returns As England Announces 12-member Squad For 1st Test Against Australia

Ashes 2025, AUS vs ENG 1st Test: England have announced a 12-member squad for the first Ashes 2025 Test against Australia, which is scheduled to be played from November 21 to 25 at the Optus Stadium in Perth. Mark Wood has made his return to the Test side after a long injury break, along with Shoaib Bashir.

Wood has recovered from a tight hamstring sustained in the warm-up match with the Lions last week. While he is expected to make the final XI, England are giving themselves time before deciding whether to go all-in with their fast bowlers. Wood will be one of five players in the XI with previous Test experience in Australia, along with skipper Ben Stokes, Joe Root, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope. The 35-year-old was also the standout quick on the 2021-22 tour, taking 17 wickets at 26.64.

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England will be heading into the Ashes 2025 on the back of a thrilling five-match series at home against India, which ended in a 2-2 draw.

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It was during the Boxing Day 1998 Test, England fielded an XI for a red-ball match in Australia without a specialist spinner. Talking about Bashir, his last appearance for England came during the Lord's Test against India earlier this year. On the other hand, the focus will also be on Jofra Archer, who also made the cut. He will be aiming to pick up the rhythm in the red-ball format, having taken 9 wickets in two matches against India at home.

There were no surprises in the batting line-up named in the 12-member squad, with Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley expected to open the batting, followed by the reliable middle order featuring Ollie Pope, Root, Harry Brook, Stokes and wicket-keeper Jamie Smith. Notably, England haven't won a Test match on Australian soil since the 2010/11 Ashes series. They lost their next three series by 5-0, 4-0 and 4-0 down under. 

England’s 12-member squad for first Ashes Test: Ben Duckett, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Shoaib Bashir.