England Names Young Squad for Australia T20s, Resting Key Pacers
Eighteen-year-old Thomas Rew earns his first call-up as England prioritizes workload management for multi-format bowlers ahead of South Africa Test series.
England has selected an 18-year-old Thomas Rew as one of four uncapped players for the upcoming five-match Twenty20 series against Australia. The squad, captained by Harry Brook, will also feature Eddie Jack from Hampshire as senior bowlers are rested.
Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, and Josh Tongue are set to participate in the initial three One-Day Internationals before being rested for the T20 leg of the tour. This strategic break is intended to manage their workload ahead of a three-Test series in South Africa scheduled for December.
Rew, the younger brother of recent Test debutant James Rew, missed the latter part of the 2026 season due to injury. He previously captained England to the final of the Under-19 World Cup earlier this year.
England head coach Brendon McCullum indicated last month that bowlers designated for the South Africa tour would have limited involvement in the Australian limited-overs series. The ODI series, in particular, is being prioritized as preparation for the World Cup, which is one year away.
Eddie Jack, 21, has been selected for his raw pace, despite limited T20 experience and an economy rate nearing 11 runs per over in his seven matches since his 2024 debut. This tour will mark Jack's first taste of international travel, alongside Henry Crocombe, who also received his first central contract on Monday and is included in both the ODI and T20 squads.
The ODI squad sees only two changes from the team set to compete in a triangular series against Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Jacob Bethell returns after recovering from a knee injury, and Jofra Archer is back after a period of rest.
National selector Marcus North stated that the returns of Bethell and Archer mean the squad will be "at close to full strength" as preparations for the World Cup intensify. He reiterated that the four fast bowlers would depart after the ODI series to prepare for the South Africa tour.
"Our T20 team has been in excellent form under captain Harry Brook," North added. "We are looking forward to the opportunity to test ourselves in Australian conditions against a very good team. We will have four uncapped players in an exciting IT20 squad including Thomas Rew and Eddie Jack, both of whom toured Australia with the England Lions last year, and who earn their first England call-ups."
The England T20 team recently regained the No. 1 world ranking following India's defeat to the West Indies. Phil Salt returns to the T20 squad after recovering from a quad issue, and Aneurin Donald, who replaced Salt last month, has retained his place. Saqib Mahmood is currently sidelined with a knee injury.
The tour is scheduled to begin with a warm-up match on November 7, followed by the three-match ODI series from November 13 to November 18. The T20 series will commence on November 21 and conclude on December 2.