File image of Joe Root
England Test captain Joe Root was on Friday dropped from the squad for the three T20 internationals in South Africa.
According to a BBC report, the selectors want to have a look at the other players with the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia in October 2020.
Root, though, is in their plans, the report said.
Fast bowler Liam Plunkett was also left out of the squad for the three one-day internationals.
All-rounder Moeen Ali, who has opted to take a break from Test cricket, is in both the squads.
England picked the uncapped quartet of Pat Brown, Matthew Parkinson, Saqib Mahmood and Tom Banton in the squad led by Eoin Morgan and having eight players that featured during the World Cup which they won earlier this year.
Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Mark Wood have been rested for the ODIs but kept for the T20s, with national selector Ed Smith saying that both squads have been chosen "with an eye on the T20 World Cup", the BBC report said.
The ODIs are on February 4, 7 and 9 while the T20s start 12, 14, and 16, all following the conclusion of the four-match Test series, which starts on December 26.
England squad for three ODIs in South Africa: Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) captain, Moeen Ali (Worcestershire)Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Tom Banton (Somerset), Pat Brown (Worcestershire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Tom Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), Matthew Parkinson (Lancashire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).
England squad for three T20s in South Africa: Eoin Morgan (Middlesex) captain, Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Pat Brown (Worcestershire), Sam Curran (Surrey), Tom Curran (Surrey), Joe Denly (Kent), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), Matthew Parkinson (Lancashire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Ben Stokes (Durham), Mark Wood (Durham).
