Ollie Pope retains England place at number three for first Test against India
The pair were going head to head for the number three spot at Headingley on Friday, Bethell having made a striking impression while deputising during the New Zealand tour in December before Pope reasserted himself with a knock of 171 against Zimbabwe last month.
Bethell missed that match, opting instead to play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League, but he offered plenty of reminders about his talent during the recent white-ball series against the West Indies.
The 21-year-old will now need to wait for form or fitness to open up a vacancy in the side, while Pope will know there is a viable rival for his shirt waiting in the wings should he struggle for runs in Leeds.
Pope has been a fixture in the side under the leadership of head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes, taking over from the latter for four Tests last year when he tore a hamstring, but there have been concerns over a lack of runs against India and Australia – England's next opponents over an era-defining 10 Tests.
Pope averages 35.49 over his 56-Test career, but that drops to 24.60 against India and even more alarmingly to 15.70 in five Ashes appearances, but he now has the chance to show he has the mettle.
England's Ollie Pope during a nets session at Headingley (Danny Lawson/PA)
Stokes suggested there is an 'agenda' against Pope after quotes he gave about Bethell's return to the squad were interpreted as a suggestion that he would come straight back into the XI.
The Warwickshire man's huge reserves of talent are balanced against the fact that he has yet to score a century in professional cricket and he will now need to add patience to the long list of qualities England have identified in him.
There are two changes to the team that beat Zimbabwe by an innings in three days at Trent Bridge, the experienced Chris Woakes returning in place of the injured Gus Atkinson to lead the attack and Brydon Carse winning his first home cap at Sam Cook's expense.
India vice-captain Rishabh Pant said it felt 'so good' to know India would not be facing the new-ball threat of either James Anderson or Stuart Broad for the first time since 2007, but Carse is eager to show he can assume the mantle of strike bowler.
'There's no hiding away from the fact that, over a number of years, England have had Broad and Anderson as the main two bowlers, so it is slightly more inexperienced,' he said.
'I think it's a good chance for a couple of younger players, with slightly less experience, to stamp down some authority throughout the series.
'There has been a little bit of conversation around the new ball but I'm sure, over the next 24 hours, I'll have more clarity over that. It's an opportunity I'd relish to put my hand up and take that chance.
'It's also good having someone like a Chris Woakes who has played a lot of Test cricket in different conditions, against different teams. He's someone that brings a level of confidence and calmness to a bowling group.'
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