England take Mark Wood gamble in Ashes first Test squad
England announce squad for Ashes first Test
- Mark Wood is expected to play in England's opening Ashes Test against Australia in Perth, having recovered from injury and passed a fitness test.
- England plans to utilise a five-man pace attack, featuring Wood, Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse, Gus Atkinson, and Ben Stokes, due to the seam-friendly pitch conditions.
- The strategy is also influenced by the absence of key Australian bowlers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood from the first Test.
- Ollie Pope will bat at number three, while Shoaib Bashir is likely to be the 12th man and Will Jacks has been excluded from the 12-man squad.
- England hopes to break a long-standing record, as they have not won a first Ashes Test in Australia for nearly 40 years or beaten Australia in Perth since 1978.