Brendon McCullum Praises Young Star Jacob Bethell Ahead of India Test Series
McCullum Highlights Bethell's Leadership Qualities
London [UK], June 12: As England prepares for a five-match Test series against India, head coach Brendon McCullum has expressed admiration for young all-rounder Jacob Bethell, noting his emerging leadership skills and promising future.
At just 21 years old, Bethell is expected to be a key player as the revamped English team embarks on their ICC World Test Championship (WTC) cycle for 2025-27. This series comes at a time when India is also undergoing changes following the retirements of prominent players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Bethell showcased his talent during the recent white-ball series against the West Indies, where he scored 82 and 17 in ODIs, along with quick contributions of 23*, 26, and 36* in T20Is. He also took two wickets in ODIs and four in T20Is, solidifying his reputation as a versatile all-rounder.
In an interview with Sky Sports, McCullum remarked, "Bethell has a bright future ahead of him. For someone so young, he displays remarkable composure, which enables him to express his flair and skills on the field. He is already stepping up as a leader in the dressing room, which is essential for the team’s growth."
McCullum also drew parallels between Jamie Smith and Ben Duckett's performances in white-ball cricket to the Test opening pair of Zak Crawley and Duckett. He praised Duckett's abilities and highlighted Smith's impressive power.
Jamie Smith played as an opener in the white-ball series, scoring 37, 0, and 64 in ODIs, and 38, 4, and 60 in T20Is. Meanwhile, Duckett recorded scores of 58, 0, and 60 in ODIs, and 1, 30, and 84 in T20Is.
The Test series is scheduled from June to August, with matches set to take place at Headingley (Leeds), Edgbaston (Birmingham), Lord's (London), Old Trafford (Manchester), and The Oval (London).
In a surprising move, Jamie Overton has been recalled to England's squad for the first Test against India, following Gus Atkinson's withdrawal due to a hamstring injury. Jacob Bethell returns to the squad, while Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse are back after missing the recent victory over Zimbabwe due to minor injuries. The England squad has seen significant changes since their 4-1 series defeat in India last year.
Notably, James Anderson retired shortly after that tour, and several players, including Jonny Bairstow, Ben Foakes, and Ollie Robinson, have been left out. India, too, is in a transitional phase, with the retirements of R Ashwin, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, and Shubman Gill stepping in as captain for the first time.
India has not secured a Test series win in England since 2007 and has sent several squad members ahead to compete for India A against the Lions, with the remainder of the touring party arriving in the UK on Friday.
Projected Playing XI for the first Test: Ben Stokes (Durham) – Captain, Shoaib Bashir (Somerset), Jacob Bethell (Warwickshire), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Brydon Carse (Durham), Sam Cook (Essex), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Jamie Overton (Surrey), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jamie Smith (Surrey), Josh Tongue (Nottinghamshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire).