Australia might have already won the 2025-26 Ashes series, but there is much more to come in this latest drama. England after their historic series-levelling win in Melbourne have announced a 12-member squad for the fifth and final Test at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on January 4, 2026.
Fast bowler Matthew Potts and spinner Shoaib Bashir are the notable additions to that selection meeting. With the squad down to 12, England are ready for one last push to finish the tour on a high, weighing up fresh legs in an exhausted pace attack against the traditional spinning conditions of the SCG.
The Injury Crisis: Gus Atkinson Departs
There has been a growing casualty list of fast bowlers on England’s tour. The most recent of those body blows was a grade two hamstring tear sustained by Gus Atkinson in the frenetic two-day Test at the MCG. Atkinson heads home on the plane along with Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, which means Ben Stokes has a puzzle to figure out in his bowling ranks.
Atkinson’s departure has opened the door for Matthew Potts. A regular performer in domestic cricket, with ten Tests to his name, Potts has also found himself the “last man standing” over six weeks among the original 16-man touring squad. His selection isn’t all about availability, either; his “lion-hearted” reputation as a seamer who can bowl long, unrelenting spells is exactly what England could do with on a Sydney track that has so often turned into the graveyard for tired and worn out seamers.
Latest published:
- Rohit and Kohli Playing Domestic Cricket ‘Their Decision’
- New Zealand’s Doug Bracewell Announces Retirement From All Forms Of Cricket
The SCG paradox: Bashir V Green Twinge
Potts is favourite to replace Atkinson, but Bashir’s presence shows that England are keeping their options open. Traditionally the SCG is Australia’s spin-friendliest any staff given to making an extra slow bowler redundant.
But according to early accounts by people of the ground on January 2, there was a “little green.” That is now a real strategic headache for captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum:
The Pace Option: Stick to the formula that worked for it in winning the Melbourne test and play Potts alongside Brydon Carse and the in-form Josh Tongue.
The Spin Option: Give Hand Bashir the Ashes debut and have him playing alongside Will Jacks, his off spin could be targeted on an Australian batting line-up that has looked lacklustre in patches against top-class off-spinners.
Bashir has not yet played in the series, as England have opted for Jacks at No. 6 and his extra batting. It would constitute something of a baptism of fire for the young spinner if picked in one of cricket’s most historic New Year matches.
Momentum and the WTC Points
This game contains much more than pride for England. Melbourne marked their first test win on Australian soil in 5,468 days — a mind-boggling stat that had been hanging over the team for more than a decade.
Victory in Sydney has not just taken the series to 3-2, but awarded them crucial points in the ICC World Test Championship (2025-27) cycle. Having suffered a torrid time with the bat to begin their tour, a good performance with nothing at stake would give them that much needed dose of momentum for the home summer.
Final Thoughts: A Farewell to Legends
The game will be played with plenty of emotion, as the teams travel to Sydney. This Test is the last in international cricket for Australian veteran Usman Khawaja, who announced his retirement earlier this week. For England, it is for the taking: spoil the party, prove their “Bazball” philosophy can prevail in the toughest of environments and go home with heads held high.
With rain and storms expected in the first two days in Sydney, the toss may be as important as ever. Call it the grit of Potts, the guile of Bashir: England are ready to roll dice one more time.
