Uncapped Nottinghamshire spinner Liam Patterson-White is England's surprise pick as they head to No.1-ranked South Africa for three Tests.
South Africa's red-ball kings are about to host a fresh challenge. England have named their squad for three Tests in the Proteas' backyard, opening in Johannesburg next month, and the headline name is uncapped Nottinghamshire spinner Liam Patterson-White.
The 28-year-old earns his first Test call after the most productive County Championship season of his career. England clearly see a role for slow bowling on this tour, and they have good reason. South Africa climbed to No.1 in the ICC rankings after beating Australia at home, and off-spinner Simon Harmer led the way in that series with 14 wickets at 29.35.
England expect contrasting conditions, especially in the first two Tests, and have loaded up on spin options. Dan Lawrence, Joe Root and Jacob Bethell are all in the mix. Bethell returns after injury kept him out of the recent series against Pakistan.
The big omission is Shoaib Bashir. A regular in England's Test squads since his debut in India in 2024, he will travel with the Lions instead, alongside seamer Carse. That leaves Patterson-White with a real chance to grab a debut against the best team in the world on their own turf.
