Ben Stokes reveals 'tactical element' to Will Jacks selection for second Ashes Test ahead of Shoaib Bashir
By Rhys Jones
Published 03/12/2025 at 14:53 GMT
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England will hope to level the Ashes in the second Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, and have ditched the all-out pace attack by selecting Will Jacks ahead of Shoaib Bashir, Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts. England Test captain Ben Stokes touched on the tactical element of Jacks' selection, and how much he is looking forward to facing off against Australia captain Pat Cummins.
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Video credit: TNT Sports
England Test captain Ben Stokes explained why Will Jacks was selected to replace the injured Mark Wood in the second Ashes Test.
Jacks will play his first Test in three years for England, and leapfrogs Shoaib Bashir as spinner for the Brisbane Test.
The 27-year-old offers England more depth with his batting ability.
It will be the Surrey all-rounder's third Test cap after earning his first two in Pakistan in 2022.
Stokes believes that Jacks' selection brings a tactical edge to both how the spin is going to be used, and his batting.
"Coming here, knowing the first two games are obviously going to be at Perth and the day-night game here at the Gabba, you try and leave yourself as much time as you can to think about different sort of angles to try and come up with an 11," Stokes said.
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England will attempt to level the Ashes at the Gabba in the day-night Test from Thursday.
The first Test in Perth saw England employ an all-out pace attack, but they opted against that in Brisbane.
Jacks was selected instead of a like-for-like replacement for Wood, overlooking Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts.
"We tried to look at how we thought spin was going to be used, and there was a bit of a tactical element to it," Stokes explained.
"And obviously 'Jacksy's'' ability with the bat, to have that down the order for us is useful as well. If it comes down to picking our best, number one spinner, selection will go either way."
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The opening Test in Perth was Wood's first competitive match since February following knee surgery.
Wood bowled 11 overs in the two-day Test, in which England were bowled out for 172 and 164 in their two innings in Perth as Australia took a 1-0 series lead.
England are taking understandable caution with Wood given his injury history and issues with his knee.
Wood is also on the verge of turning 36 in January.
Stokes said: "With Woody, obviously a little bit of a setback, but doing everything that he can and the medical group are doing everything they can to try and get him available to potentially be an available selection in the last three (Tests).
"We've got a lot more time to go on this tour and we'll, just see how things play out with that."
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Video credit: TNT Sports
The second Test starts at the Gabba on December 4, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
It also features the return of Australia captain Pat Cummins, who missed the first Test through injury.
"Pat’s awesome," Stokes said. "Has been for a very, very long time. He's done great things. Not only as a player, but he's been great since he's been given the responsibility of being captain for Australia.
"Whatever 11 they go with, if Pat's there, if Pat's not we'll still be going in there to try and get the win this week."
Stokes also spoke about the heartbreaking passing of former England cricketer Robin Smith, and how the news affect the England camp in Australia.
He explained: "Yeah, a very sad day. I didn't know him overly well, but I knew quite a lot of people who did know him very well, played a lot of cricket with him and... the same thing kept on coming up pretty much, which was just he's an absolute belter of a bloke.
"Yeah, it's always a sad time when you hear news like that. Yeah, it’s not nice to hear."
"When news like that then gets here and then it hits you a bit harder. Just last week he was he was there chatting with the Lions who were out here (for a game against a Prime Minister's XI).
"He was at the game last week and yeah, talking to people and sharing, going into quite a lot detail about his life and opening up quite a lot...
"It hits you a bit harder, I think, when you realise that it was only a week ago where he was doing those kind of things."
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