AUS vs ENG, 5th Test: England includes Potts, Bashir in 12-member squad for Sydney

Seamer Matthew Potts and spinner Shoaib Bashir were included in a 12-man England squad on Friday for the fifth Ashes Test against Australia, with a final decision on who gets the nod likely after a better look at the wicket.

Potts is the only unused seamer from the tourist’s original 16-man squad and gets his chance after Gus Atkinson limped off with a hamstring issue in the fourth Test at Melbourne.

Fellow quicks Jofra Archer and Mark Wood have similarly succumbed to injury.

READ | AUS vs ENG, 5th Test: Australia announces unchanged 15-member squad for Sydney

Wood (knee) only played the first Test in Perth while Archer was ruled out after the third Test in Adelaide with a side strain.

Bashir was considered England’s top tweaker when it arrived, but has yet to play with spinning all-rounder Will Jacks preferred.

Australia leads the five-Test series 3-1.

Published on Jan 02, 2026