Jacob Bethell Reflects on Missed Chances in England’s Summer
Jacob Bethell, one of England’s most promising young all-rounders, has been honest about his mixed summer, admitting that he probably should have played more cricket. At just 21, Bethell has already shown his ability on the big stage, but this summer turned into a frustrating one with limited opportunities in the Test side.
After impressing during England’s winter tour of New Zealand, where he hit fifties in each of the three Tests, Bethell came into the home season with plenty of expectations. But things didn’t go as planned. He missed the one-off Test against Zimbabwe due to IPL commitments and was then left out of England’s Test XI for most of the India series. For four matches, he was the spare batter, only getting his chance in the fifth and final Test at The Oval, where he made just six and five.
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Reflecting on it, Bethell admitted that he should have managed his playing time differently. When he wasn’t featuring in those Tests, he feels he should have played more domestic cricket to stay sharp. In total, he faced just 387 balls across all formats this summer, compared to almost 1,500 last year. That lack of time in the middle was noticed, and questions were raised about how England handled his development.
Still, Bethell has tried to take it positively. He said the break might end up being useful in the long run, allowing him to reset before a busy run of cricket ahead. He also got the chance to feature in The Hundred for Birmingham Phoenix and then returned to the England squad for the ODIs against South Africa. In the first match at Headingley, he was out cheaply, but in the second at Lord’s he showed his class with a quick-fire 58 from just 40 balls, proving why many see him as one of England’s brightest batting talents.
What’s clear is that Bethell remains grounded. He’s admitted mistakes in how he balanced playing opportunities but is focused on learning from them. He’ll even have the chance to grow as a leader soon, as he’s set to captain an under-strength England side in Ireland later this month, becoming the youngest ever England captain.
Former England skipper Eoin Morgan has backed him, saying this will be an important lesson in taking responsibility for his own career. Morgan also praised Bethell’s hunger to learn, pointing out that talent alone is never enough without the right mindset.
So, while this summer might have been stop-start for Bethell, it feels more like a chapter in his learning curve rather than a setback. The signs are still there: a fearless left-hander, a developing all-rounder, and now a captain in the making. For England fans, that’s plenty to be excited about.
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