England Unveils Squad for Upcoming Test Series Against South Africa

England has officially announced its 15-member squad for the upcoming Test series against South Africa, part of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27. Notable inclusions include Liam Patterson-White, who earns his first Test call-up after a stellar County Championship season, and Jacob Bethell, returning from injury. Joe Root will lead the team as they face the reigning ICC Test World Champions. The series promises to be a thrilling contest, with the first Test set to begin in Johannesburg on December 17. Read on for more details about the squad and the upcoming matches.

By Narendra Chaudhary Nov 9, 2026, 23:44 IST

England's 15-Member Squad Announced for South Africa Test Series

London [UK], November 9: England has revealed its 15-player roster for the upcoming three-match Test series in South Africa, which is part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle for 2025-27.

Liam Patterson-White has received his first Test call-up following a standout performance in the 2026 County Championship, where he was recognized as the top spinner in the competition, as reported by the ICC.

Jacob Bethell makes his return to the Test squad after recovering from a knee injury, while spinner Shoaib Bashir has been omitted from the lineup.

Ollie Pope, who was included in the squad for the recent series against Pakistan, will not participate, whereas Dan Lawrence is back as a batting option who can also bowl.

The pace bowling unit will include Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Ollie Robinson, Sam Cook, and Sonny Baker, with Joe Root appointed as the captain of this 15-member team.

Marcus North, the England Men's National Selector, stated that the squad is well-balanced and prepared to face South Africa, the current ICC Test World Champions.

“We have assembled a strong and balanced team ready to take on the South African side, who are the reigning ICC Test World Champions and recently reclaimed the top spot in the ICC Test rankings after their 2-1 series victory over Australia,” North commented.

“There are two changes from the squad that achieved a 3-0 victory over Pakistan at the end of the home summer, with Liam Patterson-White earning his debut call-up and Jacob Bethell returning from injury,” he added.

Currently, England sits sixth in the WTC 2025-27 standings with a points percentage of 38.64, while South Africa holds the second position with 71.43%.

This tour will commence after England's limited-overs series in Australia concludes.

The first Test is scheduled to take place in Johannesburg from December 17 to 21, followed by the second Test in Centurion from December 26 to 30. The final Test will be held in Cape Town from January 3 to 7.

England squad: Joe Root (c), 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.