Latest news with #Bethell
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
7 hours ago
- Sport
- First Post
Former England captain raises eyebrows with 'breakfast with Virat' comment on Jacob Bethell
Jacob Bethell made just two appearances for RCB in his maiden IPL season, opening alongside Virat Kohli on both occasions, and former England captain Mike Atherton felt the all-rounder should have played the one-off Test against Zimbabwe than ferry drinks for the most part in India. read more England all-rounder Jacob Bethell opened alongside Virat Kohli in his two appearances for RCB in his maiden IPL season, smashing 55 against CSK at the Chinnnaswamy. PTI Former England captain Mike Atherton said Jacob Bethell should have played the one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge being a centrally-contracted player even though he was learning a lot by 'having breakfast with Virat Kohli' in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Atherton also slammed former England captain and teammate Nasser Hussain on Sky Sports for his views on the IPL, with the latter stating that Bethell was learning from being around Indian batting legend Kohli even if he wasn't getting much game time. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'I wanted him to return from India for the Test match against Zimbabwe as he is a centrally contracted player. It was important to bring him back from the IPL,' Atherton said. 'You have a lot of followers in India, and you would argue in favour of the IPL. You would say that he was learning a lot from Virat Kohli. He was having breakfast with Virat. But it is important for the centrally contracted players to play,' he added. Zimbabwe crumbled to an innings and 45-run defeat against the Ben Stokes-led hosts in their first Test on English soil in 22 years. England's Ollie Pope (171), Ben Duckett (140) and Zak Crawley (124) and Zimbabwe's Brian Bennett (139) slammed centuries at Trent Bridge while English off-spinner Shoaib Bashir was the standout bowler with a match haul of 9/143 (3/62 and 6/81). The Zimbabwe Test got the Test summer underway in England, which will be followed by a marquee five-Test series against India starting 20 June in Headingley. And Atherton and Bethell were discussing Bethell's prospects of getting picked for the India Tests when the former made the point regarding him playing his first home Test against Zimbabwe. Bethell signs off from maiden IPL season with just two appearances Batting all-rounder Bethell, who had been acquired by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru for Rs 2.60 crore in the mega auction in November, was among the overseas players returning to India for the remaining matches of the 18th IPL season. This was after the IPL, as well as the Pakistan Super League, was put on hold due to a military standoff between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack in April. Though Bethell did get to make his debut this season, opening alongside Kohli against Delhi Capitals (27 April) and Chennai Super Kings (3 May), he did not make an appearance since the season restarted on 17 May with . STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Bethell, after all, had filled in for compatriot Phil Salt as Kohli's opening partner against DC and CSK. And while Salt remains part of the RCB camp, steering them into the final with an unbeaten 56 against Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1 in Mullanpur on Thursday, Bethell has since returned home for the ODI series against West Indies that got underway on the very same day. After scoring 67 runs in two games for the Royal Challengers, including 55 in their thrilling two-run victory over CSK , the Barbadian-born Bethell starred in England's 238-run victory over West Indies in the first ODI – top-scoring for the hosts with a 53-ball 82 before collecting 1/18 inside three overs. The Harry Brook-led home team posted 400/8 after getting invited to bat before bundling the Shai Hope-led visitors out for just 162 in reply.
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
'No doubt, he was having breakfast with Virat Kohli. Great': Atherton's unforgiving 'IPL' jab at Nasser Hussain
Royal Challengers Bengaluru reached the final of the 2025 Indian Premier League earlier this week with a win over Punjab Kings in Qualifier 1. The Rajat Patidar-led side had finished second in the league table with 19 points to their name. They produced a stunning performance in the match against PBKS, thumping them by 8 wickets after reducing the side to just 101 in 14.1 overs. Throughout the campaign, RCB had different match-winners which played a key role in their consistent success. One of them was Jacob Bethell, who didn't play for a majority of the opening part of the tournament; in fact, he played only two matches, but produced a brilliant 55-run knock off just 33 deliveries while opening the batting against Chennai Super Kings. However, it was RCB's last game before the tournament was suspended following military tensions between India and Pakistan. Bethell left for England following the suspension but rejoined the squad after resumption. He was available for selection for two matches before his scheduled departure back to England for the ODI series against West Indies. RCB didn't play him. During a Sky Sports Cricket podcast, Nasser Hussain and Michael Atherton, the two former England captains, touched upon the subject of Bethell for the upcoming Test series against India, with Hussain wondering how the English team would fit the player in the XI. Atherton, however, had a pointed answer ready. 'I take you back to three podcasts, when we were talking about what the team should be for the Zimbabwe Test match. I said, bring him back from the IPL. It's an international match. He's a centrally contracted player, bring him back from the IPL. I'm not saying it in hindsight here. That's exactly what I would've done,' said Atherton. Atherton also took a shot at Nasser, stating that the latter would argue Bethell was 'learning' in the IPL. However, a centrally contracted player needs to 'play' for England, added Atherton. 'You will argue because you've got a billion followers in India that you'd like to keep on the right side of. He's learning a lot in IPL, he's learning a lot with Virat Kohli. He was no doubt having breakfast with Virat Kohli... great! But when it's time to play, come play as a centrally contracted player,' said Atherton.
South Wales Guardian
a day ago
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Jacob Bethell hails Virat Kohli influence after starring role in first ODI
A perfectly-paced 82 off 53 balls on his home ground at Edgbaston was the standout of England's 400 for eight in a 238-run demolition of the West Indies on Thursday. The Metro Bank one-day series opener was Bethell's first England outing in three months as an injury to his left hamstring sidelined him for the Champions Trophy and his IPL commitments meant he missed last week's Test win over Zimbabwe. Bethell might have featured just twice for Royal Challengers Bangalore but he feels emboldened by the experience, having opened the batting both times with India superstar Kohli, who recently retired from Test duty. 'I can't think of a specific thing he said to me that I was like 'that's what I'm going to remember', but it was just an accumulation over the couple of months of chatting to him,' Bethell said. 'I think he quite enjoys the overseas boys because we're pretty chill around him, but he's definitely got whatever they say nowadays: 'aura'. It was pretty electrifying to walk out with him. He's got a certain intensity, he flips that switch on as soon as he crosses that line. 'It was just nice to speak to him off and on the field, away from cricket. It was cool to experience someone of his calibre and how he goes about doing things. '(The IPL) was a great experience and I've definitely taken a lot for my game. I feel like I'm a better player now than I was a couple of months ago.' Bethell being at the IPL spared England having to choose between him and Ollie Pope at number three against Zimbabwe but the issue remains on the table for India's forthcoming visit. There were no discussions around returning early to put himself in contention at Trent Bridge, where Pope quietened his critics with a fine 171 to earn captain Ben Stokes' backing. The absent Bethell was unwittingly the centre of attention as Stokes hinted the 21-year-old would return for the first Test against India at Headingley on June 20 – only to clarify he meant a comeback into the squad was more likely, hitting out at an 'agenda' against Pope. Bethell, who impressed in his debut Test series in New Zealand last December, was oblivious to the furore as he steers clear of social media. 'I was pretty far away to be honest,' Bethell said. 'I didn't really hear a lot of it until one of my friends messaged me and said the whole thing was going on, but I haven't really followed it.' Jacob Bethel is some talent .. Do not be surprised if he walks out at No 3 in the Test series versus India .. 👍 — Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) May 29, 2025 Ashes 2005-winning captain Michael Vaughan said on X 'do not be surprised' if England plump for Bethell in the blockbuster five-match series against India following his star turn in Birmingham. Bethell, though, is only focusing on Sunday's second ODI in Cardiff, where England could wrap up a first 50-over series win since just before the 2023 World Cup. 'Whatever happens, it will be, and when the time comes, it'll be fine,' Bethell added. 'I'm still trying to cement my place in this one-day side and the T20 side. If I get a chance in that Test side, I'll be looking to do the same. I'm just taking it game by game.'
Time of India
a day ago
- Sport
- Time of India
'Virat Kohli enjoys overseas lads who ...': Jacob Bethell jokes about 'too-soft' IPL beds during RCB stint
Jacob Bethell and Virat Kohli Fresh from the high-paced world of the IPL and straight into a Player-of-the-Match performance at Edgbaston, Jacob Bethell's rise in international cricket continues at speed. But the 21-year-old all-rounder's only light-hearted gripe about his jet-setting lifestyle? Hotel beds. "A lot of them are way too soft," Bethell quipped after smashing a blistering 82 in England's dominant 238-run win over the West Indies in the first ODI. "I've got a bad back and I'm only 21, so we need to sort that out. I might have to walk around with some memory foam. But no, I'm enjoying it." Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! Despite missing England's recent Test series against Zimbabwe to warm the bench at Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Bethell insists the experience was far from wasted. He soaked up knowledge in the nets and watched closely as cricketing icon Virat Kohli went about his business. Who's that IPL player? "I definitely feel like I got a lot better," said Bethell. "Even though I only played two games, the training was intense — facing quality net bowlers and spinners every day. The way those guys think about playing spin — clinical and calculated — it was eye-opening." Josh Hazlewood - we picked up momentum from Jitesh's knock in Lucknow And then there was Kohli. "He's got whatever you call it these days — 'aura'. It's electrifying walking out with him. He's intense, but chilled off the field. I think he enjoys the overseas lads who don't fuss around him much," he added.
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Brook hails 'exceptional' Bethell in Eng win
Jacob Bethell's brilliant 82 off 53 balls in the first ODI against Windies marks the beginning of a promising career. PHOTO: AFP Harry Brook predicted Jacob Bethell "will be some player" after the 21-year-old rising star impressed in England's thumping victory over the West Indies in the first one-day international at Edgbaston on Thursday. There has long been talk over whether Bethell, recently returned from IPL duty, will go straight back into the Test side for the upcoming five-match series with India. And that speculation will only intensify following Bethell's expertly-paced innings of 82 from 53 balls that propelled England to a huge total of 400-8 on his Warwickshire home ground. Faced with trying to become only the second team in the 4,880-match history of men's ODI cricket to score over 400 to win, following South Africa's 438-9 against Australia at Johannesburg in 2006, the West Indies collapsed to 162 all out. Brook, speaking after launching his reign as England's permanent white-ball captain with a dominant 238-run win, said of left-hander Bethell: "He batted beautifully there. "When one of us gets going, most of the time it's hard to stop us and he showed that. He couldn't go on and get three figures but it was a match-winning innings and he's going to be some player. "He's a confident lad, I don't think he needs too much more bigging up, he knows he's a good player and we all know he's an exceptional player. He's going to have a very long England career if he keeps on batting the way he does. He brings so much to a side (because) he can bowl and field as well." Victory ended England's seven-match losing streak in ODI cricket and put them 1-0 up in this three-game series against the West Indies. Barbados-born Bethell's Indian Premier League commitments meant he missed last week's Test win over Zimbabwe, with England not having to decide whether to retain him at number three after he starred in New Zealand in December or restore vice-captain Ollie Pope to that position. Pope made a hundred at Trent Bridge but Test captain Ben Stokes revived the debate around Bethell by indicating the spin-bowling all-rounder could be back in the side to face India. Stokes later insisted he was only talking about Bethell returning to the squad for the first of five Tests against India, starting on June 20 at Headingley. But a relaxed Bethell told the BBC: "Not a lot has been said to me, to be honest. At the end of the day in Test cricket, those boys have their spots and whatever happens, happens. I'll just be happy with whatever." Bethell rounded off England's innings on Thursday following earlier fifties from Ben Duckett (60), Joe Root (57) and Brook (58), while every batsman in the hosts' top seven passed 35. "It was a pretty exceptional start from the boys," said Brook. "Hopefully we can top that. The tempo we batted with throughout the innings was pretty much spot on." Saqib Mahmood then rocked the West Indies with three wickets and fellow paceman Jamie Overton did likewise despite dislocating his finger in his first over. West Indies coach Darren Sammy, meanwhile, demanded an improved showing from the tourists in the second ODI in Cardiff on Sunday. "We were really outplayed -- that was just not good enough," insisted the former West Indies captain.
