England announce Test squad for South Africa tour; Bethell returns, Bashir dropped for uncapped all-rounder

England men's senior selection committee on November 9 announced a 15-member squad for the three-Test series on South African soil. England have handed a maiden call-up to Liam Patterson-White, the left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder. Patterson-White has been included in the squad ahead of off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, while veteran left-arm spinner Jack Leach continued to face snubs. Meanwhile, young Jacob Bethell has returned to the squad after recovering from a knee injury. 

“There are two changes to the squad that defeated Pakistan 3-0 at the end of the home summer with Liam Patterson-White earning his debut call-up while Jacob Bethell returns from a knee injury,” chief selector Marcus North said in a statement.

“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.”

The squad was finalised last week when Test head coach Stephen Fleming flew to Australia alongside Managing Director Rob Key and Performance Director Ed Barney.

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Patterson-White has been picked in the side considering the number of right-handed batters in the South Africa lineup. Many, including former opener Usman Khawaja, had pointed out during Australia’s recent Test series loss to South Africa that they should give left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann a chance.

"Liam has performed very well in the last year or two for Nottingham," North said. "He's a left arm spinner... in terms of looking at that balance of the Test squad that we've selected, we rate Dan Lawrence very highly in terms of a batting allrounder that can bowl off spin. Obviously, we've got Joe Root, and we were looking for someone to spin the ball away from the right-hander.

"There's a lot of consistency with Liam and his bowling. We feel that's really matured over the last two seasons. He's got the ability to hold but also get into the game at the back end of the game as well."

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England’s Test squad for South Africa tour -

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 (wk), Josh Tongue.

Tongue unavailable for Test series opener 

England's leading wicket-taker in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27, Josh Tongue, will not be available for the first Test. Tongue be at home, welcoming his second child. He will join the squad for the last two Tests of the series.

Why is Sam Curran not part of the squad?

England's pace-bowling all-rounder Sam Curran was unavailable for selection as he will be getting married.

"I think it's fair to say that we're not walking in there with a locked in six," North said. "We're keeping our minds open.

"We've got a good preparation leading in to that first Test in South Africa. We know the players, the batters certainly that we've got in the squad gives us a number of different options."

28-year-old's previous Test appearance was in August 2021. With former skipper Ben Stokes' retirement, Curran was looked at as the next pace-bowling all-rounder. For now, England will rely on pacers Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Ollie Robinson and Jofra Archer's contributions with the bat down the order. The team management and selectors will also look at England Lions' squad to find the next pace-bowling all-rounder.

Carse is back, Pope dropped

Carse will be back in Test action after the nightclub incident following Durham's County Championship win earlier this year. Carse’s comeback has pushed Matthew Fisher out of the squad. 

With Bethell's return, Ollie Pope has been dropped from the Test squad. Pope has had an inconsistent run of late, scoring just one ton and fifty in the last six County Championship matches for Surrey. Pope had returned to the Test squad for Pakistan Tests at home but did not get a chance to play.

England’s Test tour of South Africa schedule -

Can England spoil South Africa's party?

England have been knocked out of the WTC final race once again. Meanwhile, Temba Bavuma and South Africa are high on confidence with a 2-1 series win over Australia at home. South Africa are placed second with five wins from seven Tests. Their win percentage is 71.43, less than a point shy of table-toppers New Zealand, who will face fourth-placed India at home later this month. 

The series will mark the Fleming era as Test head coach. For the Pakistan Test series at home, Marcus Trescothick served as interim head coach following Brendon McCullum's departure from the Test setup.

Doors not closed for dropped players

Bashir will have a chance to showcase his talent in the two four-day game series. A number of dropped players, including Rehan Ahmed, Fisher and Matthew Potts, will be seen in action for England Lions. 

England Lions’ 18-member squad for red-ball series

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' One-Day 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.

England Lions' tour of South Africa full schedule