England name 15-member squad for third Test against Pakistan at Edgbaston

England have named a 15-member squad for the third and final Rothesay Test against Pakistan, scheduled at Edgbaston from September 9 to 12, 2026. Joe Root will captain the side as England seek to complete a series whitewash, having already secured an unassailable 2-0 lead.

England won the second Test at Lord's by 194 runs between August 27 and 30, 2026. Ollie Robinson was the standout performer, claiming figures of 4/11 and 4/24 to earn the Player of the Match award. That victory extended England's series lead to 2-0 heading into the Edgbaston contest. Details of the first Test result were not available in supplied evidence and have been noted separately for verification.

The third Test squad retains the settled core that featured through the series. Sonny Baker and Emilio Gay are notable inclusions, offering additional pace and batting cover respectively. Sam Cook and Josh Tongue provide further seam bowling depth alongside Robinson and Jofra Archer, while Gus Atkinson, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Jamie Smith and Jordan Cox are all retained.

What changes did England make from the second Test to the third Test squad?

The 15-member group announced on September 2, 2026 reflects a largely unchanged selection philosophy, with the same batting and keeping core retained. Baker and Gay represent the most visible additions in the squad, broadening England's options across pace bowling and the top order. England's position in the World Test Championship 2025-27 points table could not be verified from available evidence and has been omitted from this article.

How has Pakistan's turbulent build-up shaped the third Test?

Pakistan's preparations for Edgbaston have been severely disrupted. On August 31, 2026, they dropped seven players from their squad following the heavy defeat at Lord's. Those omitted included Mohammad Rizwan, Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Khurram Shahzad, Ali Usman, Muhammad Awais Zafar and Imam-ul-Haq, the last of whom had sustained an injury during the second Test. Two coaches, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Umar Gul, were also replaced at the same time.

Adding to Pakistan's concerns, reports from September 1, 2026 indicated that captain Babar Azam was confined to his hotel room in London with a high fever. No official confirmation of his withdrawal from the third Test squad had been issued as of September 2, 2026, and his availability remains unresolved. Pakistan will need to settle their personnel situation quickly ahead of the September 9 start at Edgbaston.

England squad for third Test against Pakistan:

Joe Root (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue