England Names Ashes Squad with Brook Vice-Captain, Jacks Recalled for Australia Series

England has named a 16-man squad for the Ashes series in Australia, featuring the surprise recall of Will Jacks as a back-up off-spinner despite his primary reputation as a white-ball specialist. Jacks, who has only two Test caps from 2022 and is currently recovering from a broken finger, was preferred over other spinners like Jack Leach and Liam Dawson. Harry Brook has been promoted to vice-captain, replacing Ollie Pope, who now faces competition for his batting spot. Key players such as Ben Stokes are expected to be fit for the series, while Chris Woakes has been ruled out due to a dislocated shoulder. The squad includes experienced pacers like Mark Wood, returning from injury, and Matthew Potts, who replaces Jamie Overton after his decision to step away from red-ball cricket. England aims to reclaim the Ashes for the first time since 2015, with the series set to begin in Perth on November 21.