Stokes included, Wood returns as England announce a power pack Ashes squad

Having won an Ashes test match in January 2011, the Ben Stokes led England side would look to overturn this horrendous stat as they announce what is their most competent squad for the upcoming Ashes series that kicks off in November in Australia.

Stokes himself is recovering from a shoulder injury he picked up during the test series against India, yet he has been picked and this, by far, is England's best chance to reclaim the urn, having won it last in 2015 at home. 

Apart from Stokes, ace pacer Mark Wood, who didn’t feature in the India series has also been picked and Wood along with Archer, Gas Atkinson, Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts form a riveting quadruple to compete against the mighty Aussies at home. 

Meanwhile, Chris Woakes, who dislocated his shoulder during The Oval Test against India, hasn't been selected for the Ashes as his focus will be on full recovery ahead of a long home season next summer. Alongside Stokes, the squad includes experienced campaigners Joe Root, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett and Pope, with Jamie Smith as the wicketkeeper, who had a dream debut series against India recently.

Ahead of the Ashes, England will travel to New Zealand for a limited-overs tour comprising three T20Is and as many ODIs. Harry Brook, who has been handed leadership responsibilities across the limited overs format, will lead the team again. Duckett, Smith and Archer will be rested for the T20I series while Zak Crawley has earned a maiden T20I call-up owing to his current exploits in tests at the top of the order.

The ODI squad features the return of Sam Curran and Liam Dawson, while Luke Wood has also been rewarded for consistent white-ball form as have  Rehan Ahmed, Bethell, Sonny Baker and Jamie Overton, who were excellent in the recently concluded hundred tournament.Saqib Mahmood, meanwhile, misses out from the squads for the New Zealand tour due to a minor knee surgery.

England will open their New Zealand tour with a T20I in Christchurch on October 18 before the ODI leg begins in Mount Maunganui on October 26. The series ends on November 1. The Ashes squad will then assemble in Perth in the second week of November, with the first Test scheduled at Optus Stadium from November 21. The series will move to Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne before concluding at the SCG in early January as England look to replicate what Andrew Strauss and co did in 2010, where they won their first Ashes series down under after 24 years.

England Ashes squad: 

Ben Stokes (Captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (Vice-Captain), Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue, Mark Wood.

England ODI Squad for New Zealand series 

Harry Brook (Captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Luke Wood

England T20 Squad for New Zealand series 

Harry Brook (Captain), Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Luke Wood.