Ashes 2023: England leave out Matthew Potts, Rehan Ahmed from 15-member squad for Headingley Test

England, on Sunday, July 2, named their squad for the third Ashes Test to be played from Thursday, July 6 at Headingley in Leeds.

The hosts left out fast bowler Matthew Potts, who did not get a game despite being in the squad for the Lord’s and Edgbaston Tests.

Rehan Ahmed, who was brought in as cover for an injured Moeen Ali, was mysteriously left out as well. His absence means that Joe Root remains the only spin-bowling option in the English bowling attack. The rest of the squad remains the same.

Dan Lawrence, Chris Woakes and tearaway fast bowler Mark Wood are yet to get a game in the five-match series thus far.

England squad for third Ashes Tests
Ben Stokes (captain), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Moeen Ali, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root, Josh Tongue, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

England have plenty of work to do if they want to avoid a series defeat at home. In both the Tests thus far, the home team was in a position to dictate terms, but ended up losing both times. With the series 0-2 against England, Ben Stokes and Co. need to put forth their A-game to even draw level in the series if not win it.

On Sunday, England lost to the Aussies by 43 runs at the Home of Cricket, despite Stokes’s heroic knock of 155 off 214 balls with nine fours and as many sixes. After a 108-run stand between Stokes and Stuart Broad, the Aussies ran through the English tail.