Brook in Line to Replace Pope as England's Ashes Vice-Captain, McCullum Hints

Brook in Line to Replace Pope as England's Ashes Vice-Captain, McCullum Hints

England head coach Brendon McCullum has hinted that Harry Brook could replace Ollie Pope as Ben Stokes’ deputy for the upcoming Ashes series in Australia, as part of a key leadership reshuffle under discussion this week.

McCullum, who is set to return to New Zealand following England's home season, will meet with ECB managing director Rob Key before his departure to finalise selections for the highly anticipated tour, beginning with the first Test in Perth on November 21.

"It's no secret that Harry Brook is emerging as a leader within English cricket," McCullum said. "That's something we need to work out."

Pope's Role in Question

Pope, 27, has served as vice-captain since 2023 and has captained England in five Tests, including the final Test against India earlier this year when Stokes was injured. Though he has averaged 41.60 at No.3 under Stokes' leadership and led England to a 2-1 series win over Sri Lanka, his place in the XI is now under scrutiny.

The emergence of Jacob Bethell, who impressed on debut in New Zealand and continues to climb the ranks, has further intensified the competition for the No.3 spot. Bethell, 21, is also set to become England’s youngest-ever captain on the upcoming T20I tour of Ireland.

McCullum acknowledged the speculation but said England would take a cautious approach before making final decisions.

"We'll slow ourselves down a bit there... We'll wait till we get down there before we start making those decisions," he said of Bethell's potential place in the Ashes XI.

Brook’s Rise in Leadership

Brook, who took over as England’s white-ball captain after Jos Buttler’s resignation in March, has impressed McCullum with his calm leadership and communication skills. The 26-year-old has worked closely with McCullum in the limited-overs setup throughout the summer.

"He's got a good head on his shoulders, he's well connected within the group, and keeps things simple," McCullum said. "I've enjoyed working with Brooky – I think he's taken to the role really well, really quickly."

While no final decision has been made, Brook’s ascension to the vice-captaincy could pave the way for a new leadership era, particularly as England looks to regain the Ashes urn after a decade.

Squad Considerations and Ashes Build-Up

The final Ashes squad is expected to be announced in the coming days, with several key decisions pending:

  • Back-up spinner: Options include Rehan Ahmed, Jack Leach, and Liam Dawson, with McCullum favouring whoever gives the team "the greatest chance."

  • Wicketkeeper cover: McCullum confirmed that Pope will act as the reserve wicketkeeper behind Jamie Smith.

  • Fast bowling depth: With Mark Wood still recovering from knee surgery, the squad may carry seven seamers. McCullum emphasised England's depth and the benefit of the Lions squad being in Australia simultaneously for immediate reinforcements.

“We don’t need too big a squad... We’ve got a very settled group of batters, a cartel of fast bowlers, and Shoaib Bashir as our frontline spinner,” he said.

Change in Support Staff

England will be without Tim Southee, who was previously lined up to be the seam-bowling consultant for the Ashes but is now unavailable due to ILT20 commitments. McCullum is currently finalising a replacement.

“There’s a couple of guys I’m talking to at the moment. They’re good names. It would be nice to add them,” he added.

Excitement for McCullum’s First Ashes Tour

Though McCullum has worked hard to treat every series with equal focus, he admitted the Ashes offers a special kind of anticipation.

"Now the Ashes is our next assignment... It's going to be awesome,” he said. “We go down there with the type of team that we want. We'll give ourselves every chance against a very, very good Australian side in their own conditions.”

Ashes 2025-26 Series Overview:

  • First Test: November 21, Perth

  • Warm-up: England vs England Lions, Lilac Hill, November 13

  • Final Squad Announcement: Expected later this week

With leadership transitions, selection debates, and renewed confidence under Stokes and McCullum, England enters the Ashes with optimism—and eyes firmly set on ending Australia’s decade-long dominance.