Thomas Rew Set to Make History as Youngest England Lions Captain in West Indies

In a remarkable week for his burgeoning career, 18-year-old Thomas Rew has been appointed captain of the England Lions, following his recent senior call-up and the award of a central contract.

Rew is poised to become the youngest captain in the history of the Lions when he leads the team in a three-match T20 series against West Indies A in St Kitts and Nevis this November.

The young leader will captain a squad that features his older brother, James. This appointment follows Rew’s recent transition to an England developmental deal and his first inclusion in a full senior squad for the upcoming T20 series in Australia.

Alongside Thomas, the Lions tour and subsequent Australian trip will include Hampshire seamer Eddie Jack and Sussex all-rounder James Coles.

Following the T20 fixtures in the Caribbean, the Lions will compete in five one-day matches. That squad will be led by Test batter Dan Lawrence.

Lawrence, who is joined in the one-day squad by seamer Sam Cook, is utilizing the Lions tour to prepare for the senior England side’s upcoming three-Test series in South Africa this December.

Rew’s rapid ascent to the captaincy underscores the immense confidence the England hierarchy places in his potential.

The wicketkeeper-batter previously led the England Under-19s to a World Cup final earlier this year and recently secured his first two first-class centuries for Somerset during the summer season.

Rew will turn 19 on November 29. Should he feature in the senior tour of Australia, he would rank as the third-youngest player to debut for England in any format, trailing only Rehan Ahmed and Brian Close, and would become the youngest player to represent England against Australia.

Hampshire seamer Scott Currie has also been selected for the T20 squad. Originally from Poole, Currie represented Scotland in three one-day internationals in 2014; his brother, Brad, has earned 39 caps for the Scottish national team.

Last year, Scott was named in England’s T20 squad for a series in Ireland. While he did not play, his inclusion as a substitute fielder in Dublin resulted in him being ineligible to represent Scotland during the recent T20 World Cup.

Former England batter Jonathan Trott has stepped in to manage the Lions’ winter tours following the departure of former head coach Andrew Flintoff.

England Lions T20 squad for three-match series v West Indies A: Thomas Rew (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Scott Currie, Adam Finch, Calvin Harrison, Jack Haynes, Eddie Jack, Ben Mayes, Ben McKinney, Liam Patterson-White, James Rew, Naavya Sharma, Ekansh Singh, Asa Tribe.

England Lions squad for five one-day matches v West Indies A: Dan Lawrence (captain), Rehan Ahmed, James Coles, Sam Cook, Mason Crane, Adam Finch, Jack Haynes, Eddie Jack, Ben Kellaway, Ben Mayes, Ben McKinney, Liam Patterson-White, James Rew, Thomas Rew, Naavya Sharma, Ekansh Singh, Asa Tribe.

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