jacob bethell

England vs India: Coach Brendon McCullum confident as young Indian Test side tours for five-match series

Danijones2 days ago04 mins

England head coach Brendon McCullum said the young Indian Test team will arrive with high hopes, but he remains clear about the direction he wants to take his side in as they gear up for a challenging five-match home series. India begin their new World Test Championship cycle with a five-Test series against England, starting at Headingley on 20 June. India, without the services of the retired Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, will be led by new skipper Shubman Gill. The squad features a promising crop of young batters, including Sai Sudharsan and Yashasvi Jaiswal. India are aiming for their first Test series win in England since 2007. “It’s important the guys refresh. We know where we want to get to as a Test team,” McCullum told Sky Sports Cricket. England’s bowling resources have taken a hit ahead of the series. Jofra Archer has been ruled out of the first Test, Mark Wood is unavailable for the entire summer due to injury, and Gus Atkinson is still recovering from a hamstring strain sustained during the one-off Test against Zimbabwe a fortnight ago. Chris Woakes used the India A match as preparation, bowling 32 overs and picking up five wickets. Josh Tongue, who is “likely to be part of the Test XI at Headingley,” chipped in with two wickets. “There are some quality bowlers unavailable, but we have a nice, varied attack with Chris Woakes, Sam Cook, Brydon Carse, Jamie Overton, and Josh Tongue providing the high-pace element. “We also have Shoaib Bashir, who is growing in confidence with every Test. We know we’re going to be tested against India, and they will arrive well-prepared. “They’re an outstanding cricketing nation, they’ll come here with high hopes, and we’re looking forward to the contest.” The England coach also praised young all-rounder Jacob Bethell, who returns to the 14-man group after impressing in New Zealand over the winter with three fifties from the No. 3 spot. “Bethell has a good life in front of him,” McCullum added. “For a 21-year-old, he’s got a real poise, and that allows him to go out there and be present and show off his flair and talent. The world is his oyster. He’s already becoming a leader in the dressing room, which is what you want. “Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett have reminded me of Duckett and Zak Crawley in the Test game. We know how good Duckett is, but the power that Smith possesses is amazing. These guys are fearless, and if you add the craft, then you hope you end up with a rounded player.” Published By: Saurabh Kumar Published On: Jun 11, 2025

‘Unbelievable’: Jacob Bethell explains learnings from Virat Kohli in RCB camp; shares Kohli’s chase mantra | Cricket News

Danijones2 days ago03 mins

Jacob Bethell (L) and Virat Kohli (R) during a match for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2025. (PTI) Jacob Bethell, the 21-year-old English cricketer who has made his international debut across all formats since September 2024, has added an IPL trophy to his achievements as Royal Challengers Bengaluru secured their first-ever IPL title this year. Despite missing the playoffs due to international commitments, Bethell contributed significantly during the league stage, stepping in for Phil Salt and forming a notable partnership with Virat Kohli.Bethell’s impact during his brief IPL stint was marked by two appearances, including a half-century against Chennai Super Kings where he opened the batting alongside Kohli. The partnership between the two batters yielded 97 runs, showcasing Bethell’s potential at the highest level of T20 cricket.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The young Englishman’s experience in the RCB dressing room proved valuable, particularly his interactions with Virat Kohli. Speaking about his time with the team, Bethell shared his observations of the Indian cricket star.“It’s been great. [Virat] was unbelievable with helping me out, and even just the things he didn’t say to me personally, but just watching how he goes about training and how he approaches things,” Bethell said to Sky Cricket.Bethell’s admiration for Kohli’s batting approach, especially in chase situations, was evident in his comments. IPL 2025 Final | Rishi Sunak Interview: ‘I am a big Virat Kohli fan… RCB is my team’ “Especially like chasing in a T20 game. That was unbelievable to watch and unbelievable to see first hand, just how easily he is able to shift up and down the gears and is able to template an innings depending on what is needed,” the young cricketer elaborated.Bethell’s cricket career has shown promising signs across all formats. His performance includes an impressive knock of 82 runs against West Indies, which coincided with RCB’s Qualifier 1 victory against PBKS. The team later went on to defeat PBKS in the final to claim their maiden IPL title.