England cricket is rewriting its next chapter with a new generation of leaders following a World Cup win and a rapid rebrand under ‘Bazball’. With Harry Brook taking over the white-ball captaincy and Ben Stokes still directing the Test side, the squad is balancing emerging talent against recent tournament disappointment.
Governing body: England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) ·
Men’s Test captain: Ben Stokes ·
Men’s ODI captain: Jos Buttler ·
Women’s captain: Heather Knight ·
ICC Men’s T20I ranking: 3rd (as of May 2025) ·
Ashes series wins (Men): 32 (since 1882)
Quick snapshot
- Harry Brook appointed white-ball captain after Jos Buttler stepped down (ICC)
- Ben Stokes remains Test captain (Sky Sports News)
- James Anderson retired from Tests in July 2024 (BBC Sport)
- Joe Root stepped down as Test captain in April 2022 (ECB)
- Whether Jonny Bairstow will return to the England side
- Which active England cricketer has two wives (unverified)
- Who is called the ‘silent killer’ in cricket (multiple attributions)
- 2025 Ashes series (Men and Women)
- 2025 ICC Champions Trophy (Men)
- 2026 T20 World Cup (Men and Women)
Six key facts, one pattern: a team in transition, replacing World Cup winners with younger talent across all formats.
Here are the key facts and figures for the England cricket team as of 2025.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1877 (first Test match) |
| Governing body | England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) |
| Men’s Test captain | Ben Stokes |
| Men’s ODI/T20I captain | Harry Brook (as of May 2025) |
| Women’s captain | Heather Knight |
| ICC Men’s Test ranking | 4th (as of May 2025) |
| ICC Men’s ODI ranking | 5th |
| ICC Men’s T20I ranking | 3rd |
| Women’s ICC ranking | 2nd (ODI) / 3rd (T20I) |
| Ashes wins (Men) | 32 (out of 73 series) |
| World Cup wins (Men) | 1 (2019) |
| World Cup wins (Women) | 4 (1973, 1993, 2009, 2017) |
Who are the 11 players in the England cricket team?
The answer depends on the format and the series. England fields separate squads for Tests, ODIs, and T20Is, and each changes based on opposition and conditions. Here is how the current teams break down.
Current Test squad
- Captain: Ben Stokes (all-rounder)
- Batters: Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (out of New Zealand squad May 2025)
- Wicketkeeper: Jamie Smith
- Bowlers: James Anderson (retired July 2024), Stuart Broad (retired), Gus Atkinson, Mark Wood
The revamped Test squad for the 2025 series against New Zealand included three uncapped players — Emilio Gay, James Rew, and Sonny Baker — and saw Zak Crawley dropped while Ollie Robinson was recalled (Sky Sports News).
What this means: Stokes is betting on fresh blood for England’s Test future, sidelining experienced batters in favor of younger replacements.
TL;DR: England’s Test squad now includes uncapped players, signaling a youth-driven rebuild under Stokes.
Current ODI squad
- Captain: Harry Brook (appointed May 2025)
- Batters: Jos Buttler (former captain), Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone
- All-rounders: Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran
- Bowlers: Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Reece Topley
Brook’s first assignment was the ODI series against West Indies starting 2025-05-29 (ICC).
Current T20I squad
- Captain: Harry Brook
- Key batters: Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Dan Mousley
- Bowlers: Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Chris Jordan
The pattern: England’s XI now varies significantly between formats, making a single ’11 players’ answer outdated.
The implication: Fans expecting a fixed XI must adapt to squad flexibility shaped by format and opponent.
Who is the best cricket player of England and who is the third richest cricketer?
Two separate questions often get tangled in searches. On the pitch, England’s current best player is clear. Off it, the richest list tells a different story.
All-time great England cricketers
- Joe Root holds the record for most Test runs for England (12,537 as of May 2025) (ESPNcricinfo (sports statistics database))
- James Anderson retired as England’s highest Test wicket-taker (704 wickets)
Current best-performing England player
- Ben Stokes is widely considered the best current England all-rounder
- Harry Brook posted the fastest Test century by an England batter in New Zealand in 2024
Richest cricketers globally
- Virat Kohli (India) consistently tops global richest lists
- Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) is often reported as the third richest cricketer globally
- No English cricketer consistently ranks in the global top 3 richest
The implication: England fans looking for a countryman among the game’s wealthiest may be disappointed — England’s stars earn well from central contracts and domestic leagues, but the brand market is dominated by Indian players.
TL;DR: Root leads in Test runs, Stokes in current impact, but England lacks top-tier brand wealth compared to India.
Why was Jonny Bairstow dropped and why does he not play for England anymore?
One of the most googled questions about England cricket centers on the wicketkeeper-batter’s absence. Bairstow has not retired, but the selectors have moved on.
Bairstow’s 2023-2024 dip in form
- Bairstow was dropped from the Test side in mid-2024 due to inconsistent scores
- He averaged under 30 across the 2023 summer Tests
Competition for batting spots
- Younger players like Jacob Bethell and Dan Mousley are preferred in white-ball squads
- Jamie Smith took the wicketkeeper role in Tests
Injury history and recovery
- Bairstow suffered a broken leg in 2022 but returned for the 2023 Ashes
- He has not been selected for any England squad since November 2024
The trade-off: Bairstow’s aggressive style once defined England’s white-ball resurgence, but the same approach produced too many low scores as bowlers adjusted. England’s new regime wants younger players with similar risk profiles but longer career arcs.
TL;DR: Bairstow’s inconsistent form and the rise of younger alternatives led to his omission; he remains uncapped since late 2024.
Why is Joe Root not captain and how did Ben Stokes take over?
Root’s tenure ended after a difficult run of results, yet his batting has only improved since he gave up the armband.
Joe Root’s resignation in April 2022
- Root stepped down as Test captain on April 15, 2022, citing the personal toll of the role (ECB (England’s governing cricket body))
- He led England in 64 Tests, winning 27
Stokes’ appointment as Test captain
- Ben Stokes was named his successor in April 2022 (ECB)
- Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum transformed the Test side with ‘Bazball’ — an aggressive, attacking style (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster))
Root’s focus on batting
- Root remains a key batsman under Stokes’ captaincy
- He has scored nine Test centuries since resigning as captain
Why this matters: Root’s batting average actually rose after he handed over the captaincy — from 49.3 to 57.9 — suggesting the leadership burden had weighed on his output (ESPNcricinfo (sports statistics database)).
England’s best Test batter of the modern era became a better batsman only when he stopped being captain. The team gained a focused run-scorer but lost a steady hand at the helm.
The pattern: Root’s batting average improved after stepping down, illustrating the trade-off between leadership and individual performance.
What is the gender of Sciver Brunt and which cricketer has two wives?
Both questions reflect public curiosity about players’ private lives, and both require firm fact-checking against rumor.
Nat Sciver-Brunt’s gender identity
- Nat Sciver-Brunt is female and a key England women’s all-rounder
- She married fellow England women’s cricketer Katherine Brunt in 2022 (ECB)
Cricketers with multiple marriages
- No confirmed reports of an active male England cricketer with two wives concurrently
- Some international players (e.g., from the subcontinent) have been reported with multiple spouses, but the question as it pertains to current England players remains unverified
The catch: search algorithms sometimes surface speculative content about players’ personal lives. For Sciver-Brunt, the verified information is clear — she is a medical female and a married woman in a same-sex relationship.
Who is called the silent killer in cricket and which player divorced his wife?
Nicknames and divorce rumors generate curiosity, but anchoring them to actual England players requires separating fact from internet chatter.
Origin of the ‘silent killer’ nickname
- The ‘silent killer’ nickname is often attributed to Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar
- No English cricketer is widely known by this nickname
Players with high-profile divorces
- Some England players have had divorces, but specific claims need verified sources
- No current England men’s Test or white-ball captain has a verified public record of divorce
The verdict: both questions appear driven by rumor rather than verified fact. England’s current squad has no player matching either description definitively.
Timeline: England cricket team 2022-2025
- April 2022: Joe Root resigns as Test captain; Ben Stokes appointed (ECB)
- June 2023: England draws Ashes series 2-2 at home
- November 2023: England wins ICC Men’s T20 World Cup
- July 2024: James Anderson retires from Test cricket (BBC Sport)
- August 2024: Jonny Bairstow dropped from Test squad
- September 2024: Brendon McCullum becomes all-format coach (ICC (global governing body))
- May 2025: Harry Brook appointed white-ball captain; first series vs West Indies (ICC)
The signal is clear: England is moving from a team built around proven veterans to one shaped by McCullum’s aggressive philosophy and Brook’s young leadership.
TL;DR: From Root’s resignation to Brook’s captaincy, England’s timeline shows a deliberate shift toward youth and aggression.
Related reading: 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers Table: Latest Standings
For a deeper look at the players making up the team, see the current England squad details for the T20 World Cup 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the England cricket team’s schedule for 2025?
The men’s team plays the 2025 Ashes series at home, the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan, and white-ball series against West Indies and New Zealand. The women’s team has the 2025 Women’s Ashes and a T20 World Cup preparation tour.
Who is the current captain of the England cricket team in Tests?
Ben Stokes is the Test captain, appointed in April 2022.
Who is the current captain of the England cricket team in white-ball formats?
Harry Brook is the white-ball captain as of May 2025, after Jos Buttler stepped down from the role.
What is the England cricket team’s standing in the ICC rankings?
As of May 2025: England is ranked 4th in Tests, 5th in ODIs, and 3rd in T20Is. The women’s team is 2nd in ODIs and 3rd in T20Is.
How can I buy tickets for England home Test matches?
Tickets are sold through the England and Wales Cricket Board’s official website (ecb.co.uk/tickets).
What is the official website for the England cricket team?
The official website is ecb.co.uk, run by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Who is England’s leading run-scorer in Test cricket?
Joe Root holds the record with 12,537 Test runs as of May 2025 (ESPNcricinfo (sports statistics database)).
Who is England’s leading wicket-taker in Test cricket?
James Anderson retired in July 2024 with 704 Test wickets, the most by any England bowler (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster)).
For England’s leadership, the decision is clear: invest fully in Brook and Stokes as dual captains, accept short-term inconsistency in results, and build a squad that can compete for the 2025-26 World Cups. For fans, the trade-off is watching a favorite player like Bairstow or Pope sit out while younger players learn on the job — or embracing a faster, bolder style that may win trophies again.
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Kevin Walsh covers business, markets and economic policy for Oz Briefly.