England have promoted Harry Brook to No 3 for the must-win third Ashes Test at Headingley, with Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes and Mark Wood recalled and James Anderson and Josh Tongue rested.
Brook steps up from No 5 after vice-captain Ollie Pope, who had been batting at No 3, saw his series ended by a dislocated shoulder he suffered during last week’s 43-run defeat at Lord’s, a result which leaves England 2-0 down in the five-match contest.
Only one side in Ashes history – Don Bradman’s 1936/37 Australia team – have successfully overturned a 2-0 deficit to win the series.
Joe Root was also a potential candidate to move to Pope’s spot of first drop but will remain in his favoured position of No 4 for the Leeds Test, live on Sky Sports Cricket from Thursday (10am on air, 11am first ball).
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Sir Geoffrey Boycott was left with his head in his hands after Brook’s first-innings dismissal at Lord’s last week
England have opted against selecting batter Dan Lawrence to replace Pope, with all-rounders Moeen and Woakes coming in to bolster the lower middle order.
Wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow has jumped up two places to No 5 while skipper Ben Stokes will stay at No 6, with Moeen at No 7 and Woakes at No 8.
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Moeen’s inclusion gives England a frontline spinner with the 36-year-old sitting out at Lord’s as the hosts picked an all-seam attack of Anderson, Tongue, Stuart Broad, Ollie Robinson and Stokes, supported by Root’s part-time off-spin.
Anderson, 40, is given a breather after taking three wickets at an average of 75.33 across the first two Tests, while Tongue – who bagged five wickets at Lord’s, including Steve Smith twice, after adding an injection of pace into the bowling unit – also makes way.
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Ahead of the third Test at Headingley, relive some of the most memorable Ashes clashes to have taken place at the ground
Wood will provide the speed in Leeds as he makes his first Test appearance since the final game of the 3-0 sweep in Pakistan in December.
England wanted to select Wood at Lord’s but decided he needed extra time to reach full fitness with Tongue given an Ashes debut instead.
Woakes will play his first Test since the tour of West Indies in March 2022 and first at home since September 2021.
England XI for third Ashes Test
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Ben Stokes (captain), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Ollie Robinson, Stuart Broad.
Watch the third Ashes Test live on Sky Sports Cricket from Thursday. Coverage from Headingley starts at 10am ahead of the first ball at 11am. You can also stream the men’s and women’s Ashes series on NOW.