Three squads were named in the announcement on Monday, with the Test squad to face South Africa selected alongside Lions red- and white-ball squads. The squads are Fleming's first after taking up his role as Test coach, with the squads selected for their series against Pakistan at the end of the summer picked before he officially took over at the helm.

Bethell returns and brings four-into-three top-six question with him

Jacob Bethell's return to fitness means that England will be forced to confront their top-order juggle. Having preferred Dan Lawrence at No.6 to balance the side against Pakistan, Bethell is likely to keep his position for at least the first Test of the series. However, depending on conditions, England could choose rely on a combination of Bethell and Joe Root to provide any spin overs required, and back their battery of quicks to get the job done.

That would free up positions in their top six for all of Bethell, Emilio Gay and Jordan Cox – their top three from their series-win over Pakistan – to play. If they choose to stick with Lawrence as the ballaste, then one of those three will have to drop out.

Here are the main talking points from England's Test squad to tour South Africa ✈️ Any surprises? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇿🇦 #ENGvSA https://t.co/rK6IuXpoGx

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) November 9, 2026

What's England's plan with Bashir?

The biggest absentee from the Test squad was Shoaib Bashir. Bashir was in all of England's Test squads over the summer, but featured only twice against New Zealand. Bashirs place in the side has been the most affected by Ben Stokes' retirement, but he was handed a central contract last month despite having not featured in any of England's Tests against Pakistan. Uncapped Nottinghamshire left-arm spinner Liam Patterson-White has been called up to the Test squad for the first time, moving ahead of Bashir in the spin pecking order. Patterson-White took 42 wickets at 25 in the County Championship Division One this year, as well as contributing handy lower-order runs.

Speaking on the announcement of the squad, England national selector Marcus North, said: “Shoaib [Bashir] is still a very young man. He’s someone that we still have a very positive outlook about, and it’s just that we have sat down looking at each Test series in isolation, and we feel that Liam gives us that best balance and that spinner for this tour of South Africa.”

Bashir's axing will be more gutting than missing out on XIs over the summer when the effectiveness of spin was negligable on English pitches. Simon Harmer's 10-for in Cape Town last month against Australia showed the benefits of selecting a specialist spinner in South African conditions. Instead, Bashir will turn out for the Lions, having been England's first-choice Test spinner just 12 months ago.

Carse's exile ends

Brydon Carse will return to a national squad for the first time since he was investigated by the Cricket Regulator after being briefly arrested outside a nightclub in Derby over the summer. He is part of the Lions squad who will play the West Indies later this month.

Carse last played for England in the Ashes series last winter, before picking up an injury while training for the IPL that ruled him out of the first part of the summer. A stark message from Brendon McCullum that Carse needed to "get his house in order" after not selecting him for England's late-summer T20Is against Sri Lanka, seems to have been heard.

Jacob Bethell returns after injury ✅ Shoaib Bashir misses out ❌ Liam Patterson-White earns maiden call-up 💪 England have announced a 15-player squad for their upcoming Test series against South Africa 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 https://t.co/sb7Bk5oiiE

— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) November 9, 2026

Stone in Lions squad despite APL deal

Following a blistering end to the season with Nottinghamshire in the County Championship, Olly Stone has won a call-up to the Lions squad. Stone was left off England's central contract list last month, and last played for England since 2024 before picking up an injury. Last week, he was bought by Team Paktia in the Afghanistan Premier League auction.

The ECB, who don't play Afghanistan in bilateral cricket over the treatment of women and girls by the Taliban government in Afghanistan, urged players to re-think their involvement in the league, although they will grant NOCs to players who do choose to participate. Stone's inclusion in the Lions squad shows that players who do play in the league will not be shunned from national selection.

No Rehan in the Lions red ball squad

Having been in the Test squad at the start of the summer, Rehan Ahmed has slipped further down the spin pecking order and out of the Lions red-ball squad. Rehan will play in the Lions 50-over squad, but now sits behind Lawrence, Patterson-White, Bashir and Mason Crane in the Test spin standings.

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