England's Ashes squad in pictures

Andrew Strauss Test career: Played 77, Average 43.11, 100s 18. Record v Australia: Played 15, Average 38.41, 100s 3 The captain's form this year has been somewhat patchy. He has flourished in recent ODIs, averaging 89 in the past five games and scoring a hundred at Headingley, but has not recorded a Test century since the second Test against Australia last year at Lord’s. He did, however, manage consecutive knocks of 82 and 83 against Bangladesh in May. Photograph: Tom Jenkins

Alastair Cook Tests: Played 60, Average 42.78, 100s 13, v Australia: Played 10, Average 26.21, 100s 1. Strauss’s fellow opener came under intense scrutiny as he consistenly failed at the top of the order. Despite a Test average of 42.78, Cook’s nadir came this summer against Pakistan when his place came under threat. He responded with his 13th Test century at the Oval but doubts over the 25-year-old’s form and confidence persist. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images

Jonathan Trott Tests: Played 13, Average 55.00, 100s 3, Wickets 1, Bowl Avg 86.00. v Australia: Played 1, Average 80.00, 100s 1. Since hitting a debut Test century at the Oval against the Aussies last year, Trott has struggled to match that performance. However, the 184 he struck against Pakistan in the final Test at Lord’s proved that his composure, and stickability, make him a key part of England’s plans. Photograph: Ian Kington/AFP/Getty Images

Kevin Pietersen Tests: Played 66, Average 47.80, 100s 16, Wickets 4, Bowl Avg 142.00. v Australia: Played 12, Average 50.72, 100s 2. Unceremoniously dropped from the one-day squad to face Pakistan after a Test series in which he made a succession of starts but failed to amass a significant total. So often England’s match-winner, Pietersen’s Test average is still very healthy but a recent Twitter rant, the admission that his confidence has been dented, and his tendency to throw away his wicket have raised concerns about the 30-year-old no one would have anticipated six months ago. Photograph: Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Paul Collingwood Tests: Played 63, Average 42.18, 100s 10, Wickets 15, Bowl Avg 63.00. v Australia: Played 11, Average 35.00, 100s 1, Wickets 1, Bowl Avg 113.00. Unfortunately, desperately out of form with the bat. The 36-year-old was undistinguished against Pakistan this summer, scoring 119 runs over four Tests although he did manage 47 in the final one-day international. Having said that, once his bags of experience and fielding abilities are factored in, his place is hardly in doubt Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

Ian Bell Tests: Played 57, Average 42.92, 100s 11, Wickets 1, Bowl Avg 76.00. v Australia: Played 13, Average 25.68, 100s 0. Bell missed the Pakistan series after fracturing a metatarsal in a one-day international against Bangladesh. Nonetheless, as England’s middle order has struggled, Bell’s stock has risen. He hit 128 in his last England Test appearance against Banglasdesh at Old Trafford, and his return from injury has seen him continue his form, with a match-winning 107 in the CB40 final against Somerset. Photograph: William West/AFP/Getty Images

Matt Prior Tests: Played 35, Average 42.13, 100s 3, Stumpings 4. v Australia: Played 5, Average 32.62, 100s 0, Stumpings 1. Encouragingly, Prior hit an unbeaten 84 and 102 against Pakistan while remaining consistent behind the stumps. At times, Prior has seemed in constant danger of being dropped for a more prolific batsman but at present, few would call for anyone to take his place in the XI with the Sussex man undeniably ahead of Craig Kieswetter and Steven Davies Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

Graeme Swann Tests: Played 24, Average 25.11, 100s 0, Wickets 113, Bowl Avg 26.66, 5WI 9. v Australia: Played 5, Average 35.57, 100s 0, Wickets 14, Bowl Avg 40.50, 5WI 0. The description “world class” seems to accompany any mention of Graeme Swann alongside the statement that he will be vital to England’s chances in Australia. Both are true. Swann’s year has seen him become the first English off-spinner since Jim Laker to take 10 wickets in a match and is on a shortlist of four to win the ICC’s international cricketer of the year award. Photograph: Tom Shaw/Getty Images

Stuart Broad Tests: Played 32, Average 28.10, 100s 1, Wickets 97, Bowl Avg 34.30, 5WI 3. v Australia: Played 5, Average 29.25, 100s 0, Wickets 18, Bowl Avg 30.22, 5WI 2. Ricky Ponting and co will not exactly be pleased to see him. Broad’s sensational spell of bowling in the fifth and decisive Ashes Test at The Oval, claiming 5 for 37 in 12 overs swung the Test, and the series. Will go into the series full of confidence with the bat, too, after recording 169 in the fourth Test against Pakistan. Photograph: Tom Shaw/Getty Images

Steven Finn Tests: Played 8, Average 6.50, 100s 0, Wickets 32, Bowl Avg 23.21, 5WI 2. v Australia: Yet to make debut. Finn’s pace, bounce and discipline promise to cause a swathe of problems for Australia, but on the flip side, they will target the 21-year-old’s inexperience to put him under pressure. Having made his debut in March against Bangladesh, Finn took 15 wickets in that series, following up with 19 against Pakistan. Rested for the one-dayers to focus on strength and conditioning. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

James Anderson Tests: Played 52, Average 12.55, 100s 0, Wickets 188, Bowl Avg 31.75, 5WI 10. v Australia: Played 8, Average 13.87, 100s 0, Wickets 17, Bowl Avg 56.17, 5WI 1. “In the right conditions there’s no better bowler in world cricket,” said Andrew Strauss of Anderson in August, who was in top form against Pakistan. Anderson will also want to eradicate the inconsistency that took the gloss off his Ashes series last year but while conditions will not be in his favour, he will still be the front-line bowler in the England attack. Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images

Eoin Morgan Tests: Played 6, Average 32.00, 100s 1, v Australia: Yet to make debut. Drafted in to replace the injured Ian Bell in the Pakistan series, he duly cracked a maiden Test century in a record-breaking fifth-wicket partnership with Paul Collingwood at Trent Bridge. Things went downhill from there but his failure to get among the runs went largely under the radar and his form in the shorter form of the game, including the unbeaten century in the final ODI against Pakistan, will put him in contention to challenge for a place in the middle-order. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

Chris Tremlett Tests: Played 3, Average 12.50, 100s 0, Wickets 13, Bowl Avg 29.69, 5WI 0. v Australia: Yet to make debut. Had fallen off the international radar, last playing in a Test against India in summer 2007, but after missing the start to the season the 6ft 7in 29-year-old has been resurgent in the Surrey attack, picking up 48 first class wickets. England’s management have clearly taken note. Photograph: Tom Shaw/Getty Images

Steven Davies Tests: Yet to make debut. v Australia: Yet to make debut. Davies earned a call-up to the squad for the 2009 West Indies tour and made a surprise international debut in the Twenty20 in Trinidad, where he top-scored for England with 27 from 21 balls. This summer, the 24-year-old supplanted Craig Kieswetter for the one-day series against Pakistan, striking 87 off 67 balls in the first ODI at Chester-le-Street. One to keep an eye on in Australia. Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Monty Panesar Tests: Played 39, Average 5.50, 100s 0, Wickets 126, Bowl Avg 34.37, 5WI 8. v Australia: Played 4, Average 7.66, 100s 0, Wickets 11, Bowl Avg 44.90, 5WI 1. Back in the fold. Panesar was overtaken by Swann after his last Test, the opener against Australia at Cardiff last year but he has bowled well for Sussex this year. And, with two spinners in the squad, Panesar has at least been there and done it before in Australia, something that cannot be said of either Adil Rashid or James Tredwell Photograph: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images

Tim Bresnan Tests: Played 5, Average 41.66, 100s 0, Wickets 14, Bowl Avg 35.14, 5WI 0. v Australia: Yet to make debut. Bresnan had a solid tour of Bangladesh earlier this year but the all-rounder was a let-down when given the new ball at Lord’s in the return series. With Anderson, Broad and Finn, it is unlikely Bresnan will make the XI for the First Test but will want to be back to his best when called upon. Photograph: Julian Herbert/Getty Images