Ahead of the T20Is, England will face South Africa in an ODI dead rubber on September 7.
After conceding an ODI series win to South Africa on home soil for the first time in 27 years, England are forced to reassess several choices. Coming on the back of a declining form, Ben Duckett has been rested for the upcoming T20Is against South Africa and Ireland. Instead, all-rounder Sam Curran has been added to the mix, crediting his noteworthy performances in The Hundred 2025.
England will face South Africa in an ODI dead rubber on September 7, before the first of three T20Is begins on September 10. The three-match Ireland tour will kick off on September 17 in Dublin.
Ben Duckett has been unimpressive in recent times. During the first and second ODIs against South Africa, the 30-year-old could manage only five and 14 runs.
Talking about his form in the shortest format, the Birmingham Phoenix batter returned with 123 runs in eight games at a slow strike rate of 114.95. Previously, against the West Indies, though Duckett was the fourth-leading run-getter (118), his slow rate of 121.64 goes against his credentials.
On the other hand, Sam Curran is on his way to revive his international career. After playing his last white-ball match in November 2024, the southpaw will make a comeback in the national jersey. In nine games for Oval Invincibles, Curran registered 238 runs while picking up 12 wickets. He was the third-highest run-maker for the champions, at a strike rate of 176.29.
Earlier, the all-rounder shone for Surrey too in the Vitality Blast. With the ball, he snared 21 wickets in 15 overall matches. With the bat, he put together 365 runs, including a fifty. His 142.57 striking rate was a decent enough boost to his confidence, especially coming after a poor Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) reunited with the yellow army, only to have his worst-ever IPL edition. He could manage just one wicket at an abysmal average of 133. With the bat, he was quite forgettable with 114 runs in five innings.
England may continue to make stern changes in the squad, keeping the two mega events – the T20 World Cup in 2026 and the ODI World Cup in 2027 in sight. Duckett’s loss is Curran’s gain. The 27-year-old would be eager to put his best foot forward to cement his place in the playing XI.
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Harry Brook (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, and Luke Wood.
Jacob Bethell (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jos Buttler, Jordan Cox, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith, and Luke Wood.
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