18-year-old Thomas Rew named England Lions captain to become youngest skipper in history

Teenage wicketkeeper-batter handed Lions armband

Thomas Rew, the 18-year-old Somerset wicketkeeper-batter, has been named captain of the England Lions in the same week he earned his first senior England call-up and a central contract.

It is thought the teenager will become the youngest captain in Lions history when he leads the side in three T20s against West Indies A in St Kitts and Nevis in November. Rew skippers a squad that includes his older brother, James.

Thomas, Hampshire seamer Eddie Jack and Sussex all-rounder James Coles are the three players who will be involved on the Lions tour and then travel to Australia for the senior T20 series.

Two squads, two captains

The Lions' T20s in the Caribbean are followed by five one-day matches, with that series captained by Test batter Dan Lawrence. Lawrence is joined in the one-day squad by seamer Sam Cook, as both men use the Lions tour as part of their preparation for the senior team's three Tests in South Africa in December.

The elevation of Thomas Rew to Lions captain is a further sign of the high regard he is held in by the England hierarchy. The wicketkeeper-batter skippered England Under-19s to the final of the World Cup earlier this year, then made his first two first-class hundreds for Somerset during the summer. Rew does not turn 19 until 29 November.

Fast-tracked to the senior squad

As reported on 13 October, Rew's call-up to the senior squad for the T20 series in Australia came as England fast-tracked him and Eddie Jack, with Jacob Bethell and Jofra Archer returning to the squad. The Guardian noted at the time that, were he to make his T20I debut in Australia, Rew would become the third-youngest man to represent England after Rehan Ahmed (18 years and 126 days) and Brian Close (18 years and 149 days).

Rew is the younger brother of James Rew, who made his Test debut for England against New Zealand at The Oval in June. Thomas received his first ECB central contract a day before the squad announcement, and Jack carries the middle name Vaughan after a former England captain.

If he plays on the senior tour of Australia, Rew would become the youngest man to play for England against Australia.

Currie's Scotland complication

Hampshire seamer Scott Currie is also part of the T20 squad. Born in Poole, Currie played three one-day internationals for Scotland in 2014 and his brother Brad has 39 caps for the Scots. Scott was called into England's squad for a T20 series in Ireland last year. Although he did not play, he was subsequently barred from reverting to Scotland at this year's T20 World Cup because he was named as an England substitute fielder in Dublin.

Trott takes the reins

Former England batter Jonathan Trott is taking charge of the Lions' winter tours following the departure of former head coach Andrew Flintoff.

England Lions T20 squad 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.