England have named a 12-man squad for the fifth Ashes Test after Gus Atkinson was ruled out through injury. Matthew Potts and Shoaib Bashir have been added to the squad, and at least one of them is expected to play in the final match. Neither Potts nor Bashir has featured so far on the tour.
England comes into the Sydney Test after a morale-boosting win in Melbourne. They lost the first three Tests of the series but bounced back at the MCG to earn important ICC World Test Championship points. That win was England’s first Test victory in Australia since 2011.
Ben Stokes will lead the side again as England aims to finish the series with another win at the SCG.
The England squad for the fifth Test is Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (captain), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, and Shoaib Bashir.
In the series so far, Australia won the first Test in Perth by eight wickets, the second Test at the Gabba by eight wickets, and the third Test in Adelaide by 82 runs. England won the fourth Test at the MCG by four wickets. The fifth Test will be played at the SCG from January 4 to January 8.
The fifth Ashes Test of the 2025–26 series starts on Sunday, 4 January 2026. It is being played at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney. Play begins at 10:30 local time in Australia. For viewers in the United Kingdom, it starts at 23:30 GMT on Saturday, 3 January.
Shoaib Bashir and Matthews Potts Added to England’s Squad for Final Ashes Test in Sydney
Spinner Shoaib Bashir and fast bowler Matthew Potts have been added to England’s 12-player squad for the fifth Ashes Test against Australia. Gus Atkinson misses out after suffering a hamstring injury, joining Mark Wood and Jofra Archer on the sidelines.
Atkinson is the only change from the team that won the fourth Test in Melbourne. Ollie Pope is again not included. England are already 3-1 down in the series, with Australia having retained the Ashes after wins in Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide.
The final Test will be played in Sydney from January 4. England are hoping to finish the tour strongly after their Melbourne win, which came in a two-day shootout.
Matthew Potts is expected to be the frontrunner to play. The Durham seamer has 10 Test caps and 36 wickets at an average of 29.44, with his last appearance coming in December 2024. He could take the new ball at the SCG, allowing Brydon Carse to move back into a first-change role.
England has also kept the option of playing Shoaib Bashir if conditions are likely to suit spin. The 22-year-old has been England’s first-choice spinner for the past 18 months, but has not played on this tour so far due to pitch conditions and form concerns. The Ashes series standings remain Australia 3, England 1, heading into the final Test in Sydney.
FAQs
Q. Why did England change their squad for the fifth Ashes Test?
A. England made changes because Gus Atkinson was ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Q. Which players were added to the squad?
A. Matthew Potts and Shoaib Bashir were added to the 12-man squad.
Q. Who will captain England in the final Test?
A. Ben Stokes will continue as England captain in the final Test.
Q. When is the fifth Ashes Test being played?
A. The match will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground from January 4 to January 8.
Q. What is the current Ashes series score?
A. Australia leads the series 3–1 and has already retained the Ashes.
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