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England have finally run out of patience with Jason Roy, dumping the out-of-form batsman for the fifth Ashes Test.
Ben Stokes will play as a specialist batsman because of a shoulder injury, which has prompted selectors to swing the axe on Roy.
England have recalled allrounder Sam Curran and paceman Chris Woakes in place of Roy and Craig Overton for the series finale that starts on Thursday.
Roy produced his highest score of the series at Old Trafford, a second-innings knock of 31, but has resembled a walking wicket during the past five weeks.
England captain Joe Root suggested Roy was “unfortunate” and his omission was purely because of Stokes’ setback.
“It’s always tough to leave guys out but Stokesy obviously picked up a shoulder injury in the last game and won’t be able to bowl the overs we normally expect him to,” Root said.
“Jason’s had an opportunity to come in and play Test cricket, get a feel for it and it’s not quite gone how he would have liked.
“But I’m sure he’ll go away and work extremely hard and come back again.
“That’s what you expect of guys when they get left out and I’m sure he’ll have that attitude and will want to try and prove a point and get himself back into the side.”
White-ball star Roy has struggled to make the transition to Test cricket, as Josh Hazlewood forecast prior the start of the series.
Roy opened for the first three Tests then was demoted to No.4 for the high-stakes match in Manchester but still struggled.
Stokes is set to bat at No.4 in Roy’s absence.
Root held out hope Stokes would be able to possibly “bowl a couple of overs here and there” but the game-breaking allrounder is not expected to roll his arm over as the hosts seek to draw the series.
“His batting, as this series has shown, is a massive part of our side and he rightly deserves to be in this team as just a batter, and a top-four batter,” Root said.
“I’m sure he will want to find different ways of getting himself into the game, even if it’s not with the ball.”
England XI: Rory Burns, Joe Denly, Joe Root (capt), Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Jofra Archer, Chris Woakes, Stuart Broad, Jack Leach.
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