England squad for South Africa Tests: Joe Root to lead; Jacob Bethell returns, Liam Patterson-White called up
England named a 15-member squad for its three-match Test series against South Africa on Monday.
Jacob Bethell, who missed the Pakistan series with a knee injury, has been included while uncapped left-arm spinner Liam Patterson-White has been called up for the first time.
England will tour South Africa for a high-stakes series which will begin with the first Test at Wanderers on December 17. It will be Stephen Fleming’s first assignment since taking over as England head coach from Brendon Mccullum in July.
Joe Root will lead the side, while Jofra Archer, Ollie Robinson, Josh Tongue, Sonny Baker, and Gus Atkinson will make up the pace-bowling unit.
England national selector, Marcus North, said: “We have selected a strong and balanced squad that is ready for the challenge of facing a South African team that are ICC Test world champions and who returned to the top of the ICC Test rankings following their recent 2-1 series win over Australia.
On Patterson-White’s inclusion, North said: “Liam Patterson-White’s selection comes on the back of a strong summer in the Rothesay County Championship, when he took the most wickets of any spinner in Division One with 42 at an average of 25.11 and earned his first ECB Development Contract.
In addition, ECB announced two England Lions squads which will play three 50-over games and two four-day matches against the Proteas.
England Test squad: Joe Root (capt), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Liam Patterson-White, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue
England Lions red-ball squad: Shoaib Bashir, Brydon Carse, James Coles, Mason Crane, Henry Crocombe, Matthew Fisher, Jack Haynes, George Hill, Eddie Jack, Ben Mayes, Ben McKinney, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, James Rew, Thomas Rew, Mitch Stanley, Olly Stone, Asa Tribe
England Lions white-ball squad: Rehan Ahmed, Brydon Carse, Mason Crane, Adam Finch, Matthew Fisher, Calvin Harrison, Jack Haynes, George Hill, Ben Mayes, Ben McKinney, Ollie Pope, James Rew, Naavya Sharma, Ekansh Singh, Asa Tribe
Published on Nov 09, 2026
