Nine months before Germany hosts Euro 2024, coach Flick decided against bringing back veteran Thomas Muller, while captain Manuel Neuer continues his recovery from a broken leg.
Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich will likely captain the side in Neuer’s absence.
Gross, 32, received his first Germany call-up, having played for Premier League side Brighton since 2017.
Flick brought back Borussia Dortmund Niklas Sule in defence, while including Bayern midfielder Jamal Musiala, who is currently recovering from a thigh injury.
“Everyone has to now forget their ego and serve the team,” Flick told reporters today.
He said he was looking for players “who energise the team”, saying: “The team is the star, not the individual.”
Germany have qualified for the Euros as hosts, but Flick has continued to chop and change his squad.
After suffering an embarrassing group-stage exit at the Qatar World Cup in 2022, Germany have stumbled this year, winning just one of five matches.
Germany have lost three of those games, to Belgium, Poland and Colombia, alongside a draw with Ukraine and a solitary win over Peru.
Germany will take on Japan in Wolfsburg on Sept 9, before meeting World Cup runners-up France in Dortmund on Sept 12.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona/ESP), Kevin Trapp (Eintracht Frankfurt), Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim)
Defenders: Robin Gosens (Union Berlin), Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid/ESP), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Niklas Sule (Borussia Dortmund), Malick Thiaw (AC Milan/ITA), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen)
Midfielders: Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund), Ilkay Gundogan (Barcelona/ESP), Kai Havertz (Arsenal/ENG), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Emre Can (Borussia Dortmund), Pascal Gross (Brighton/ENG)
Forwards: Niclas Fullkrug (Werder Bremen), Leroy Sane (Bayern Munich), Kevin Schade (Brentford/ENG), Jonas Hofmann (Bayer Leverkusen), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich)