Australian Men’s Cricket Team vs England Cricket Team Match: England have named their 12-member squad for the final Ashes Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground starting January 4, 2025. The side includes several changes as the team looks to end the series on a strong note. Ben Stokes will captain the team. The squad features Shoaib Bashir and Matthew Potts, both yet to play in the series. Gus Atkinson has been ruled out with a hamstring injury sustained during the fourth Test at Melbourne. England’s management has made a notable change by including off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in place of Ollie Pope.
Sydney is traditionally a ground that offers assistance to spinners, raising questions about whether England will rely on a spin-heavy attack. The trio of Bashir, Will Jacks, and Jacob Bethell could play a key role if spinners are used extensively.
England have struggled in Australia in recent years but ended a 15-year losing streak by winning the fourth Test at Melbourne. England has already lost the Ashes series, but the team aims to finish the series with a 3-2 win.
During the last Ashes series in Australia in 2021–22, England drew the SCG Test after a strong fifth-day batting performance to avoid a whitewash. This time, England hope to build on their momentum and restore confidence in their approach under Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum.
The England squad for the SCG Test: Ben Stokes (C), Shoaib Bashir, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Jamie Smith (wk), and Josh Tongue.
