The first Test match between England and South Africa is scheduled for Wednesday, August 17, at Lord's. The series will consist of three Test matches. The remaining two Tests will begin on August 25 at Old Trafford in Manchester and on September 8 at The Oval in London.
Ben Stokes' team has only made one alteration from the last Test they played against India at Edgbaston: wicketkeeper-batter Ben Foakes, who missed that match due to Covid-19, is back in the playing XI in place of Sam Billings.
England is currently ranked seventh in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 with five wins, four draws, and seven losses in 16 games. Only one spot behind South Africa, they are ranked fourth in the ICC Test Rankings.
With five victories and two loses in seven games, South Africa is now leading the WTC table. Last month, England played the Proteas and lost the T20I series 2-1 and drew the ODI series 1-1. Prior to the first Test, Dean Elgar's team played an exhibition game against the England Lions, which they lost by an innings and 56 runs.
England’s playing XI for the first Test :
Zak Crawley, Alex Lees, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes (c), Ben Foakes (wk), Stuart Broad, Jack Leach, Matthew Potts, James Anderson