Sam Curran will make his first England appearance since November 2024 after being named in the XI to face South Africa in Wednesday night’s opening T20 in Cardiff.

The Surrey all-rounder, 27, had been overlooked since Brendon McCullum added the role of white-ball coach to his Test job in January.

However, Curran was recalled to the squad on Friday when it was announced top-order batter Ben Duckett would be rested for the T20s and will now slot immediately into the side, likely at No 5.

He is one of three seam-bowling options for England, alongside Jofra Archer and Jamie Overton, with frontline spinners Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson supported by Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell in a game you can watch live on Sky Sports Cricket (6.30pm first ball).

Curran impressed with bat and ball in The Hundred for Oval Invincibles, taking 12 wickets and scoring 238 runs, while he thumped an unbeaten 69 from 38 deliveries in Surrey’s Vitality Blast quarter-final defeat at home to Northamptonshire last week.

Overall in the Vitality Blast this season, Curran has 21 wickets and 365 runs.

I asked Sam to bang down the door, to force his way into the top six and with his bowling ability. He was honest. He said he was determined to have a long international career and fair play to him, he has banged it down. He is a very attractive resource.

Salt, Buttler set to open as Duckett, Smith rested

Phil Salt and Jos Buttler will open the batting with Duckett and Jamie Smith – who fulfilled those roles in the 3-0 sweep of West Indies in June – given a break after playing every international for England across the formats so far this summer.

Buttler moves up a spot from No 3, while Salt returns to the T20 XI for the first time since the tour of India in February after missing the series at home to West Indies on paternity leave.

Bethell – following his first professional hundred in the final ODI against South Africa on Sunday – is carded to bat at No 3, with skipper Harry Brook, Curran and Tom Banton completing the top six.

Rehan Ahmed, Brydon Carse, Luke Wood and Saqib Mahmood miss out and will instead be hoping to appear in the final two fixtures at Emirates Old Trafford on Friday (6.30pm) and Trent Bridge on Sunday (2.30pm), games also live on Sky Sports.

England lost the preceding ODI series 2-1, avoiding a 3-0 sweep by winning the final game in Southampton by a record 342 runs after piling on 414-5 and then skittling South Africa for 72.

After this T20 series, a tweaked squad, missing many of those expected to be part of The Ashes this winter, will head to Ireland for three T20s with Bethell to captain in Brook’s absence.

Bethell, 21, will become England’s youngest skipper in international cricket, eclipsing Monty Bowden, who was 23 years and 144 days old when he led the nation in a Test match against South Africa in 1889.

England vs South Africa – results and fixtures

All games live on Sky Sports, all times UK and Ireland 🕰️

• First T20: Wednesday September 10 (6.30pm) – Cardiff
• Second T20: Friday September 12 (6.30pm) – Emirates Old Trafford
• Third T20: Sunday September 14 (2.30pm) – Trent Bridge