Ballance's recall means Lancashire's Haseeb Hameed also misses out, despite shining during the first three Tests in India last year. Since returning from the hand injury that ruled him out of the fourth Test of that series, Hameed has struggled for runs in the County Championship. England and South Africa are playing a four-match series with the final Test beginning at Old Trafford on August 4. Squad: Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Gary Ballance, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Liam Dawson, Keaton Jennings, Toby Roland-Jones, Ben Stokes, Mark Wood..@YorkshireCCC's Gary Ballance is back. And he pouched this one-handed beauty at training #reactions pic.twitter.com/Lph3dFoPKg
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 13, 2015
England have recalled batsman Gary Ballance for the first Test against South Africa at Lord's on Thursday with the host also naming Middlesex pace bowler Toby Roland-Jones as the only uncapped player in the squad.
Ballance was dropped following a dismal showing during England's two-Test series against Bangladesh in October but got back on the selectors' radar after averaging 101 for Yorkshire in the County Championship this season.
Ballance would bat at No 3 in Joe Root's first series as captain, with Root, who took over as skipper from Alastair Cook, dropping to his favoured number four position, British media reported.
Durham seamer Mark Wood is also back in the side for the first time since 2015, when injury disrupted his initial call-up.
Injuries to Jake Ball and Chris Woakes could see Roland-Jones make his international Test debut at his home ground, while spinner Liam Dawson has been retained after an impressive debut against India in Chennai, leaving no room for Adil Rashid.
