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England Name 15‑Player Test Squad for South Africa

England have announced a 15‑man Test squad for the winter tour of South Africa, marking the first series under new head coach Stephen Fleming. The side includes uncapped left‑arm spinner Liam Patterson‑White, who impressed in the 2025 County Championship with 26 wickets and 540 runs, and the returning all‑rounder Jacob Bethell, who missed the Pakistan series after knee surgery. The squad also features captain Joe Root, pacemen Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson, and a mix of experienced and young batsmen such as Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence and Jordan Cox. England Lions will accompany the main squad to a preparation camp in Pietermaritzburg on 25 November, giving fringe players exposure to South African conditions. The Test series starts in Johannesburg on 17 December, followed by the Boxing Day Test at Centurion and a final match in Cape Town on 3 January. England will also play three One‑Day Internationals in South Africa after the Test series. With the addition of Patterson‑White and Bethell’s return, England aims to strengthen its spin options against a South African side that recently used off‑spinner Simon Harmer to great effect.

· Sky Sports

The essential points

  1. 01England selects uncapped spinner Liam Patterson‑White for the South Africa Test series
  2. 02All‑rounder Jacob Bethell returns after knee surgery to bolster batting options
  3. 03England Lions travel with the squad to a preparation camp in Pietermaritzburg
  4. 04Series starts 17 December in Johannesburg and concludes 3 January in Cape Town
The full brief

England have announced a 15‑man Test squad for the winter tour of South Africa, marking the first series under new head coach Stephen Fleming. The side includes uncapped left‑arm spinner Liam Patterson‑White, who impressed in the 2025 County Championship with 26 wickets and 540 runs, and the returning all‑rounder Jacob Bethell, who missed the Pakistan series after knee surgery. The squad also features captain Joe Root, pacemen Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson, and a mix of experienced and young batsmen such as Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence and Jordan Cox.

England Lions will accompany the main squad to a preparation camp in Pietermaritzburg on 25 November, giving fringe players exposure to South African conditions. The Test series starts in Johannesburg on 17 December, followed by the Boxing Day Test at Centurion and a final match in Cape Town on 3 January. England will also play three One‑Day Internationals in South Africa after the Test series.

With the addition of Patterson‑White and Bethell’s return, England aims to strengthen its spin options against a South African side that recently used off‑spinner Simon Harmer to great effect.