England have resisted any temptation to tinker. With the series already wrapped up, the selectors have doubled down on the formula that dismantled Pakistan at Headingley and Lord’s, naming an unchanged 15-man squad for the third and final Rothesay Test of the summer at Edgbaston.
The mission now is simple: finish the job. A whitewash, at home, to close out the 2026 programme.
Tongue leads ruthless attack
No one has done more to demand continuity than Josh Tongue. The seamer has burst through this series with the kind of numbers that make you look twice: 13 wickets at 12.46, including a ruthless 5-46 in Leeds that broke Pakistan’s resistance and underlined his growing status in this new-look attack.
He has not been a sideshow to England’s bowling plans; he has been central to them. Hit the pitch hard, keep the stumps in play, force mistakes. Pakistan have found no answer so far, and Edgbaston offers him one more stage to underline that this is no fleeting purple patch.
Duckett–Gay opening axis stays intact
At the top of the order, Ben Duckett keeps his place and will again walk out alongside Emilio Gay. England’s management have backed the pair as a partnership, not a stopgap, and the decision to leave the squad untouched after the 194-run win at Lord’s sends that message loudly enough.
Duckett’s tempo and range, paired with Gay’s more classical method, have given England a platform across the first two Tests. With the series already secured, some might have expected experimentation. Instead, there is trust. One more Test, one more chance to cement their claims before winter tours reshape the pecking order.
Root’s side unchanged, intent clear
Joe Root leads the same group that has already outplayed Pakistan twice. Alongside Tongue in the seam and pace stocks are Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Sam Cook and Ollie Robinson, a varied armoury that has kept Pakistan under constant strain.
Shoaib Bashir offers spin support, while the batting and keeping resources remain stacked: Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope and Jamie Smith join Duckett and Gay in a unit that has repeatedly put the Men in Green under scoreboard pressure.
The confirmed England Men’s squad for the Third Rothesay Test at Edgbaston (9–13 September) is:
- Joe Root (Yorkshire, captain)
- Jofra Archer (Sussex)
- Gus Atkinson (Surrey)
- Sonny Baker (Hampshire)
- Shoaib Bashir (Derbyshire)
- Harry Brook (Yorkshire)
- Sam Cook (Essex)
- Jordan Cox (Essex)
- Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire)
- Emilio Gay (Durham)
- Dan Lawrence (Surrey)
- Ollie Pope (Surrey)
- Ollie Robinson (Sussex)
- Jamie Smith (Surrey)
- Josh Tongue
Edgbaston has seen enough of England’s drama over the years to know that dead rubbers rarely feel dead. With a summer to sign off, a clean sweep on the line and several careers gathering momentum, this final Test offers something sharper: a chance to turn a good home season into a statement one.
