England have selected off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in a 12-man squad for the fifth Ashes Test against Australia in Sydney.
Bashir has not played in the first four matches despite starting the series as England’s first-choice spinner.
The 22-year-old missed out on the first Test after being named in a 12-man squad in Perth and has since been overlooked in favour of all-rounder Will Jacks.
Seamer Matthew Potts is also in the England XII, with the tourists guaranteed to make at least one change from the side that won the fourth Test in Melbourne after Gus Atkinson was ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Under captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum, England usually name their XI two days out from a Test.
However, the tourists have opted to wait longer before the final match, which starts on Sunday (23:30 GMT Saturday), in order to assess conditions at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
On Thursday the pitch looked to have a thick covering of grass, but by Friday it was losing its green tinge.
Sydney usually offers assistance to slow bowlers. Three of the four leading Test wicket-takers at the venue are Australian spinners – Shane Warne, Stuart MacGill and Nathan Lyon.
But this Ashes has been dominated by seam bowling. So far only nine wickets have been taken by spinners, leaving it on track for the fewest taken by slow bowlers in an Ashes series of at least four Tests.
Australia omitted a spinner from their line-up for the fourth Test, which England won by four wickets in Melbourne to cut the series deficit to 3-1.
Now the hosts could include off-spinner Todd Murphy, while all-rounder Beau Webster may replace Cameron Green and also offers a spin option.
England XII for final Ashes Test: Ben Stokes (captain), Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue.
Bashir has not played for England since the third Test against India in July. He suffered a broken finger at Lord’s, yet was still able to take the wicket that sealed a thrilling victory.
His only cricket on the Ashes tour has come in the warm-up game between England and England Lions prior to the first Test, then for the Lions against a Cricket Australia XI in Brisbane. In those games, Bashir returned combined figures of 2-266.
England explained Jacks’ selection by a need to bolster their batting. Primarily a batter, Jacks offered depth at number eight and has taken four wickets. He did not bowl in the two-day Test at Melbourne.
England could opt to omit Jacks and field both Potts and Bashir, though that would result in a long tail, probably with Brydon Carse at number eight.
Durham seamer Potts played the most recent of his 10 Tests in New Zealand at the end of 2024.
An England regular when Stokes and McCullum took charge in the summer of 2022, the 27-year-old has had a staccato career over the past three years. His previous seven caps have come against six different opponents.
Like Bashir, an appearance in Sydney would mark Potts’ Ashes debut.
“He’s bowling really well,” said England opener Zak Crawley. “I faced a bit of Pottsy and every time he impresses me.
“He’s got the heart of a lion, a lot of skill and if he gets the nod this week he thoroughly deserves it.”
