England have named their squad for the 2021-22 Ashes Test series in Australia.
Here BBC Sport takes a closer look at the players tasked with regaining the urn.
Batters
Joe Root (Yorkshire, captain) – Age 30; Tests 109; Runs 9,278; Average 50.15
Enjoyed a stellar summer with the bat, although his captaincy and tactics were questioned on occasions. England’s hopes will rest on his ability to continue his recent impressive form against India in Australia where he is yet to make a Test century.
Rory Burns (Surrey) – Age 31; Tests 29; Runs 1,712; Average 32.30
The left-handed opener’s somewhat unorthodox technique will be tested by Australia’s bowlers on their own patch but has shown he has the dogged determination for Test cricket. Only Ben Stokes scored more runs for England than his 390 at 39.00 in the 2019 Ashes in England.
Zak Crawley (Kent) – Age 23; Tests 15; Runs 737; Average 28.34
A year on from a superlative 267 against Pakistan he was dropped against India after a lean run of form. A tall dominant player on the back foot, particularly against fast bowling, he is able to bat time but needs to rediscover his confidence.
Haseeb Hameed (Nottinghamshire) – Age 24; Tests: 6; Runs 359; Average 35.90
The opener burst on to the Test scene as a teenager during England’s tour of India in 2016 only to drastically lose his way. Two patient half-centuries against India, including a stand of 135 with Burns, on his comeback during the summer were a reminder of a talent yet to really be fulfilled.
Dan Lawrence (Essex) – Age 24; Tests 8; Runs 354; Average 27.23
Has looked good in fits and starts – 81 against New Zealand in the summer his Test best – but may well find himself down the pecking order. A fine series for England Lions in Australia in 2020 indicates he can cut it in Australian conditions.
Dawid Malan (Yorkshire) – Age 34; Tests 17; Runs 830; Average 28.62
Returned to the Test side in the summer after two years out in the cold and brought some much-needed calmness batting at three. Arguably a better player on Australian pitches than in England – his sole Test century came at Perth in the 2017-18 Ashes.
Ollie Pope (Surrey) – Age 23; Tests 20; Runs 965; Average 32.16
Blessed with a stylish technique, which has seen him likened to Ian Bell, the young strokemaker has shown flashes of brilliance but yet to develop consistency. A stoic 81 after an England top-order collapse against India at The Oval showed his mettle.
Wicketkeepers
Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire) – Age 32; Tests 78; Runs 4,381; Average 33.70; Catches 195; Stumpings 13
A thrilling batsman on his day but those days have been far too infrequent in Test matches with six hundreds in the longer format. A senior player who needs to stand up and be counted in a batting line-up lacking experience. Will get the gloves if Buttler is absent.
Jos Buttler (Lancashire) – Age: 31; Tests: 53; Runs 2,800; Average 33.33; Catches: 141; Stumpings: 1
Played 15 Tests for England before being replaced by Jonny Bairstow in late 2015, but came back into the fold for the home series against Pakistan in 2018. His biggest contribution on the international stage has come in the shorter forms; he broke the stumps to seal victory over New Zealand in the 2019 World Cup final.
Seamers
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire) – Age 32; Tests 39; Runs 1,389; Average 27.78; Wickets 119; Average 28.73
Returned to the England side for the fourth Test against India in the summer after more than a year out because of injuries, being rested and time in isolation. He took seven wickets and scored 50 in England’s first innings, although will be hoping to improve his exploits on his travels.
James Anderson (Lancashire) – Age 39; Tests 166; Wickets 632; Average 26.62
England’s leading wicket taker and the first in Test history to surpass 600, Anderson is arguably England’s greatest ever bowler. At 39, the three-time Ashes winner may be heading into his final Ashes series, but will want to close in on the three bowlers who stand ahead of him in the wicket charts, India’s Anil Kumble, Australia’s Shane Warne and Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan.
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire) – Age 35; Tests 149; Wickets 524; Average 27.84
Trailing Anderson by 108 wickets in the all time England charts, Broad is likely to be another key weapon in England’s arsenal. He shone in the 2020 series against the West Indies, which England won 2-1; having not been selected for the first match, he took 10 wickets in the decider, being named man of the match and series.
Craig Overton (Somerset) – Age 27; Tests 6; Wickets 17; Average 33.58
Made his Test debut in Adelaide on the 2017 Ashes tour and impressed, top scoring with the bat with an unbeaten 41 and taking his first wicket, that of Australia captain Steve Smith. He also featured in the last home series, in 2019, after being called up for the fourth Test.
Ollie Robinson (Sussex) – Age 27; Tests 5; Wickets 28; Average 19.60
His international debut against New Zealand was overshadowed by the discovery of historical tweets of a racist and sexist nature before he bounced back by taking 21 wickets in four Tests against India. Blends a disciplined line and length with a competitive edge.
Mark Wood (Durham) – Age 31; Tests 21; Wickets 64; Average 33.10
Capable of bowling in excess of 90mph, the right-arm paceman could be crucial on Australian wickets and likely to be an even more important figure for England with fellow fast bowler Jofra Archer out injured. Took five wickets in the second Test against India in the summer before being sidelined by a shoulder injury.
| Tests | Wickets | Average | Economy rate | |
| Anderson | 18 | 60 | 35.43 | 2.95 |
| Broad | 12 | 34 | 37.17 | 2.96 |
Spinners
Jack Leach (Somerset) – Age 30; Tests 16; Wickets 62; Average 29.98
Not the most experienced member of the squad, but has good pedigree as a batter and bowler in an England shirt. In the 2018 tour of Sri Lanka, he opened both batting and bowling in the second Test, claiming his first five-wicket haul and recording figures of 8 for 153.
Dom Bess (Yorkshire) – Age 24; Tests 14; Runs 319; Average 22.78; Wickets 36; Average 33.97
Made his Test debut against Pakistan in 2018, but has struggled for regular action in the three years since. Bess will be hoping to close in on 50 wickets over in Australia after showing good form for Yorkshire.
