Jacob Bethell bats at three on debut.©(@CricCrazyJohn)
Jacob Bethell is set to make his Test debut for England, batting at number three in the opening Test of their series against New Zealand in Christchurch on Thursday. The 21-year-old Warwickshire left-hander has earned a surprising call-up following the injury to wicketkeeper Jordan Cox, who will miss the match with a broken thumb.
With Cox sidelined, regular number three batsman Ollie Pope will take the gloves, moving down the order to bat at six, while captain Ben Stokes will take up his position at seven.
Bethell’s call-up is a significant one, considering his previous experience in white-ball cricket. While he has not yet made a century in first-class cricket, his ability in limited-overs formats has caught the eye of many, including England’s all-time leading Test run-scorer, Joe Root.
“The way his game sets up suits Test cricket,” Root said. “I’m really looking forward to watching him go out there and play. It’s a fascinating time for him.”
Root, who has known Bethell and his family for years, expressed admiration for the young player’s growth. “I saw him play when he was 11 or 12 years old, and I could tell then he was already a very accomplished player,” said Root. “It’s been really pleasing seeing him make his way at Warwickshire, then more recently in the white-ball stuff, showing everyone what a brilliant player he is.”
Bethell, who recently secured his first Indian Premier League contract with Royal Challengers Bangalore, has been impressed with domestic cricket. Still, he has never batted higher than number four in his 20 first-class matches.
Root added: “There are a number of players whose game is set up better for Test cricket than first-class cricket, Michael Vaughan being a great example of that. I don’t think you can read too much into it. This is a great opportunity for Jacob. It’s a blank canvas where he can really make an impact.”
Bethell’s rise is part of a broader reshuffling of England’s squad, which has struggled recently, losing three of their last four Tests, including a 2-1 defeat in Pakistan last month. However, Bethell’s inclusion is one of several bold selections for the tour of New Zealand, with England looking to return to form and compete at the highest level.
In other squad changes, Ollie Pope will stand in as wicketkeeper after Cox’s injury, as he did on England’s 2019 tour of New Zealand and in Pakistan two years ago. Durham’s Ollie Robinson is expected to join the squad for the second Test.
Brydon Carse, who was impressed by his debut Test series in Pakistan, joins Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson in the pace attack, while Shoaib Bashir retains his spot as the frontline spinner.
The opening Test will be played at Hagley Oval, with the series serving as a tribute to two legendary players—New Zealand’s Martin Crowe and England’s Graham Thorpe. Both players made significant contributions to their teams, and the series will now be contested for the Crowe-Thorpe Trophy.
England’s lineup for the first Test is as follows: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope (wicketkeeper), Ben Stokes (captain), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, and Shoaib Bashir.
The match will begin on Thursday at 11:00 local time (22:00 GMT Wednesday), with England hoping for a positive start to their three-match series, which will also include games in Wellington and Hamilton.
