England’s men’s director of cricket, Rob Key, all but closed the door on Chris Woakes’ Test career on Tuesday, explaining the all-rounder is “not in our plans at the minute… at all” after being omitted from the 16-man Ashes squad. In the same breath, Key confirmed Harry Brook will tour Australia as Ben Stokes’ deputy, leap-frogging Ollie Pope.
England named their travelling party on Monday, and for the most part it picked itself. Will Jacks sneaked in as a spare spinner-batter, which raised a couple of eyebrows, yet the bigger stories were who missed out and who got promoted.
Woakes’ numbers in the Stokes-Brendon McCullum era stack up nicely – 62 wickets at 27.25, a Player-of-the-Series gong during the 2023 home Ashes, and five Tests this summer as pace spearhead in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. But the 36-year-old dislocated his right shoulder on day one of the final Test at The Kia Oval and, despite batting in a sling, eventually chose rehab over surgery in a bid to reach Australia.
Key, speaking at Lord’s, painted that decision as admirable yet ultimately futile. “It’s been as tough a time for someone, I think, in cricket terms, the timing of it (the shoulder dislocation) as much as anything else, and the chance of reoccurence for the immediate future for Chris Woakes,” he said. “He was running out of time to be ready for the start for the Ashes. And then once you get out of an Ashes series, you’re often looking at the next cycle, really. So Chris Woakes isn’t in our plans at the minute… at all.”
Woakes turns 37 in March and, tellingly, is out of contract next month. The inference is clear: England will press on with a younger pace pack including Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue and the recalled Matthew Potts behind an expected first-choice trio of Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson and Jamie Overton. Right now there is no conversation about a farewell Test next summer.
Brook given extra responsibility
The second notable change involved the vice-captaincy. Pope has stood in for Stokes five times – most recently against India at the Oval – but loses the armband to Brook, whose white-ball leadership since replacing Jos Buttler impressed the hierarchy. Key, McCullum and Stokes briefed Pope before Monday’s announcement, stressing the demotion does not jeopardise his No.3 spot, even though Jacob Bethell is pushing hard.
“It’s pretty simple, really – we think (Brook) is the best person for the job,” Key said, highlighting Brook’s calm decision-making in March’s ODI series versus Pakistan and his growing influence in the changing room. Brook is still only 26 yet already clocking up leadership roles at Yorkshire and in various franchise leagues; England view this as prudent succession planning for life after Stokes.
What does it mean on the field?
Pope’s place looks safe for the opener in Perth on 21 November, but Brook would slide up the order if the captain’s long-standing knee trouble flares again. Batting coach Marcus Trescothick backs Brook’s temperament, noting privately the “game slows down for him” under pressure – a quality England value on harder Australian pitches.
Jacks’ inclusion ahead of Rehan Ahmed gives England off-spin back-up and extra lower-order muscle, although Ahmed could yet be on the plane if a frontline bowler breaks down. The rest of the squad – Zak Crawley, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes among the batters; Wood, Robinson and Overton leading the quicks; Jack Leach the senior spinner – is familiar.
Reaction from the dressing room has been muted but warm. A senior England player, speaking on background, described Woakes as “gutted but realistic”, adding that the Warwickshire man texted a good-luck message to the group within minutes of the squad email. That sort of grace, they say, underlines why he remains “the most popular bloke in the room”.
Any way back for Woakes?
Key’s language sounded decisive, yet England have reversed course before. Stuart Broad was written off in 2020, only to finish with 600-plus wickets. The difference is age and injury profile. Shoulder issues are notoriously tricky for seamers: Andrew Flintoff never regained full pace, and Tim Bresnan spoke of “constant aches” years after surgery. Woakes would need a flawless domestic season and a vacancy – say, an injury to the new-ball pair – to force reconsideration.
County coaches, too, feel the sands have shifted. One championship bowling coach told BBC local radio yesterday he expects selectors to prioritise “out-and-out pace” and height on Australian surfaces. That is good news for Tongue and the Overton brothers; not so much for the skilful but 80-mph Woakes.
Where next?
Woakes will almost certainly target next year’s T20 World Cup – his white-ball pedigree and batting still valued – and could extend his franchise career. The Warwickshire hierarchy want him as a mentor for their promising crop of fast bowlers, but there is no rush to decide.
For England, the focus moves to a month-long training camp on the Gold Coast in early November, followed by a single warm-up match at Drummoyne Oval. Stokes’ fitness remains the overarching question. The captain has asked to increase his bowling loads; medical staff remain cautious.
Key insists the blend of youth, experience and Brook’s fresh voice leaves England “well placed” to regain the urn, yet tempered his optimism with a nod to Australia’s formidable home record. “We go there clear-eyed,” he said. “But the lads are desperate to have another crack.”
England squad in full: Ben Stokes (capt), Harry Brook (vice-capt), Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes (wk), Jacob Bethell, Will Jacks, Jack Leach, Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Josh Tongue, Matthew Potts.
