England have named a 15-man Test squad for the three-match series in South Africa without a specialist spinner, leaving out Shoaib Bashir and handing a maiden call-up to Liam Patterson-White.
Patterson-White, an all-rounder who bowls left-arm spin, was the highest wicket-taker among spinners in County Championship Division One in 2026, taking 42 wickets at 25.11. Overall, the 25-year-old has 184 wickets in 75 first-class matches at 33.4, including eight five-wicket hauls. The ECB handed him a development contract last month.
Patterson-White has been picked ahead of off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, who was the first-choice spinner in the Test team during the Stokes-McCullum era. England fielded all-pace attacks for most Tests in the home summer, often leaving Bashir out of the playing XI. He played the last of his 21 Tests against New Zealand in June.
Selectors explain the choice
Other part-time spinners in the squad include Joe Root, Dan Lawrence and Jacob Bethell.
ECB men’s national selector Marcus North praised Patterson-White’s development. “Liam has performed very well in the last year or two for Nottingham,” North said. “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 all-rounder 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.”
North added: “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.”
Injury and availability news
Jacob Bethell has recovered from a knee injury and returns to the squad. The tour also marks the first assignment for new head coach Stephen Fleming.
Josh Tongue will miss the first Test, which starts on December 17, for the birth of his second child. Sam Curran, who had been tipped to replace Ben Stokes during the summer, is unavailable for selection because of his wedding.
England Test squad for South Africa
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.