England Adds Sam Curran, Rests Ben Duckett for T20Is vs South Africa, Ireland

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has recalled all-rounder Sam Curran to the national T20I squad for the upcoming series against South Africa and Ireland, marking his return after a year-long absence under head coach Brendon McCullum. Curran, who has excelled domestically with over 600 runs and 33 wickets this season, replaces opener Ben Duckett, who has been rested due to a dip in form and to manage his workload ahead of England's winter tours. Matthew Potts has also been released from the Ireland leg to focus on County Championship cricket, positioning him as a strong contender for the Ashes squad following Jamie Overton's retirement from red-ball cricket. Curran's inclusion aims to address England’s balance and depth issues, especially after struggles with spin bowling in recent ODIs, and to bolster the team’s white-ball options ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Duckett's rest comes after back-to-back ODI defeats to South Africa and a taxing summer, with Jamie Smith and Phil Salt expected to fill the opening role during his absence. Overall, the moves reflect England's strategic adjustments to optimize player form and team composition across formats.