Fri Nov 21 05:10:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a news article summarizing the provided information:
England Announce 12-Man Squad for Ashes Opener; Pope Holds No. 3 Spot, Wood Fit
Perth, Australia – England has named its 12-man squad for the highly anticipated opening Test of the Ashes series against Australia. Ollie Pope has solidified his position at No. 3 after strong performances in the warm-up match against England Lions, while Mark Wood has been declared fit after recovering from hamstring soreness.
The squad, led by captain Ben Stokes, features a strong pace attack including Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, and Gus Atkinson, reflecting the expected grassy conditions at the Perth pitch. Young spinner Shoaib Bashir has earned a place in the 12, edging out all-rounder Will Jacks, though his inclusion in the final XI remains uncertain. Jamie Smith will be the wicketkeeper for the match.
The full squad is: Ben Stokes (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk), Mark Wood.
The inclusion of Pope comes after impressive scores of 100 and 90 against the England Lions, leaving Jacob Bethell to wait for his Ashes debut. With a seam-heavy squad selected, England are seemingly prepared to exploit the predicted conditions at Perth. The first test promises to be a thrilling start to what is sure to be a hard-fought Ashes series.
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