Penpix of England players in England's Ashes squad:
Joe Root (captain)
Age: 26
Right-handed top order batsman
England’s talisman and most talented batsman, Root has displayed greater responsibly since taking over as captain earlier this year, averaging more than 60 in tests since. England will depend on the Yorkshire batsman to provide both stability and big scores in the middle order.
Alastair Cook
Age: 32
Left-handed opening batsman
The former captain is England’s highest test run-scorer (11,629) and the most experienced player (147 caps) in the touring party. A defensive rock at the top of the batting order, Cook will hope to rediscover his 2010-11 Ashes-winning form, when he amassed 766 runs in five tests Down Under.
Mark Stoneman
Age: 30
Left-handed opening batsman
An understated opening batsman who has been one of the most consistent performers in English county cricket. Stoneman made the step up to test level earlier this year when he received his first cap against West Indies. He has made a impressive start on the Ashes tour, having already recorded a hundred against a Cricket Australia XI last week.
Gary Ballance
Age: 27
Left-handed batsman
Ballance has been included in the squad to provide stability in the middle order despite struggling for England after making a brilliant start to his test career. The Yorkshire batsman earned his recall on the back of a splendid county season, finishing with 951 runs at an average of 67.
Dawid Malan
Age: 30
Left-handed batsman
Malan’s technique is reliant on his attacking instincts and he has found it difficult to adapt to test cricket since making his debut earlier this year. However, a hundred in England’s warm-up match in Townsville has boosted his chances of featuring in the middle order for the five-match series.
James Vince
Age: 26
Right-handed batsman
The Hampshire batsman returns to the squad despite failing to impress in seven tests after making his debut in 2016, managing a modest top score of 42 and averaging just 19. Vince still has plenty to prove at the highest level if is to make the England number three spot his own.
Jonny Bairstow
Age: 28
Right-handed wicketkeeper-batsman
A combative batsman, Bairstow has been known to struggle against quicker bowlers on bouncy tracks and his technique will be fully tested in Australia. He will also be expected to stay tidy behind the stumps and provide a strong voice to drive the team forward in the field.
Ben Foakes
Age: 24
Right-handed wicketkeeper-batsmen
The Surrey keeper is one of the five uncapped players to make the cut for the visitors. He finished the county season with 680 runs at an average of 42, including a hundred against Yorkshire at the Oval.
Moeen Ali
Age: 30
Spin bowling all-rounder
The all-rounder had a decent outing in the 2015 home Ashes series, scoring 293 runs and collecting 12 wickets with his off-spin. Moeen will also fancy his chances of taking wickets on Australian pitches, which tend to assist slow bowlers in the last two days of test matches.
Chris Woakes
Age: 28
Fast bowling all-rounder
With uncertainty surrounding Ben Stokes’ availability, the onus will be on Woakes to fill the void by performing with both bat and ball. He is one of the quickest bowlers in the England ranks and could make an impact with the Kookaburra ball Down Under.
Stuart Broad
Age: 31
Right-arm fast bowler
Broad was England’s highest wicket-taker in the last Ashes series at home with 21 wickets and is capable of wreaking havoc on any type of surface. His new-ball bowling spells could be key to England’s success on the tour.
James Anderson
Age: 35
Right-arm fast bowler
England’s most prolific wicket-taker will share the new Kookaburra ball with Broad on what is expected to be his final Ashes series Down Under. His experience of Australian conditions could be as vital as his ability to bowl long, tight spells for the visitors.
Craig Overton
Age: 23
Right-arm fast bowler
One of two Somerset fast-bowling twins, Overton was called-up for his naturally aggressive style of bowling that earned him 46 wickets in the county season. He is able to swing the ball and could utilise his height to trouble Australia’s batsmen with steep bouncers.
George Garton
Age: 20
Left-arm fast bowler
Garton has played just nine first-class matches but was brought in as injury cover for Jake Ball. Only four months after making his Sussex debut in 2016, he was included in an England Lions squad to face Sri Lanka A and Pakistan A, and has impressed on his way to a first senior England call-up.
Tom Curran
Age: 22
Right-arm fast bowler
Curran, who replaced an injured Steven Finn in the squad, has already made the mark for England with three wickets on his one-day international debut against South Africa at Taunton earlier this year. He is also a useful lower-middle order batsman, capable of stitching partnerships with the tail-enders.
Jake Ball
Age: 26
Right-arm fast bowler
Ball has the ability to hit the pitch hard and extract bounce. He recently suffered an ankle injury but could be fit to feature in this week’s first test at Brisbane.
Mason Crane
Age: 20
Right-arm leg-spinner
The leg-spinning rookie was selected for his experience of bowling on Australian pitches for New South Wales, where he has been coached by former Australia leg-spinner Stuart MacGill.
Ben Stokes (vice-captain)*
Age: 26
Fast bowling all-rounder
One of England’s proven match winners with both bat and ball, Stokes remains a doubt for the Ashes series after he was provisionally suspended for an incident outside a Bristol nightclub in September. He remains a key cog in middle order as well as a genuine fast bowling option for skipper Root.
* Named in original squad but has been ruled out of international selection until further notice.
