England’s Bold Moves: Potts and Bashir to Boost Sydney Test Hopes Against Australia

The 12-man England squad for the fifth Ashes Test against Australia, announced on Friday, includes seamer Matthew Potts and spinner Shoaib Bashir. The final team selection will be made after evaluating the pitch conditions more closely.

Potts, the only unused seamer from England’s initial 16-player squad, steps in following Gus Atkinson’s departure due to a hamstring injury sustained in the fourth Test at Melbourne. Fellow fast bowlers Jofra Archer and Mark Wood are also sidelined with injuries.

Wood participated only in the first Test in Perth due to a knee issue, while Archer was ruled out of the series after sustaining a side strain during the third Test in Adelaide.

Although Bashir was initially regarded as England’s premier spinner, he hasn’t played yet because spinning all-rounder Will Jacks has been favored in team selections.

Currently, Australia leads the five-Test series 3-1.

Squad:
Ben Stokes (c), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue

Published on January 2, 2026