'Jacob Bethell should've been...' - Ex-England captain slams ECB for prioritizing IPL over international cricket

Former England skipper Michael Atherton has criticized the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for not picking Jacob Bethell for the one-off Test against Zimbabwe. The cricketer-turned-commentator questioned the logic behind allowing Jacob Bethell to stay in the IPL 2025 ahead of an international fixture.

Jacob Bethell was not included in the squad for the Test against Zimbabwe due to his IPL commitments with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). Bethell impressed during his debut series in New Zealand earlier this year. The southpaw scored three half-centuries while batting at No. 3 in England’s 2-1 series win.

Jacob Bethell Should Have Been Picked - Michael Atherton

Michael Atherton said that Jacob Bethell should have been included in the England squad. Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast, he said that international fixtures should have priority over domestic franchise competitions like the IPL.

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“My own view is that Bethell should have been picked. That’s the point of a central contract—you’ve got control over your players,” Atherton stated.

"If you're going to put a player on a full central contract - Bethell had been moved from an incremental contract to a full deal after doing so well in New Zealand - then bring your player back."

"It's a Test match. It's an international fixture and international fixtures should have priority over domestic franchise competition. I know the policy is players should see through their IPL deals but I don't particularly agree with it," he added.

They Are Probably Happy Not to Have the Difficult Call - Michael Atherton

Michael Atherton said that Jacob Bethell had impressed in New Zealand. Atherton expressed uncertainty about whether Bethell would be brought into the squad with the return of player Jamie Smith.

"In many ways, it saved the selectors from a very difficult call. Bethell looked to the manner born in New Zealand but then they would have had the tricky decision as Smith obviously comes back," Atherton stated.

"They could bring Bethell into the squad but I'm not sure they will because they are probably happy not to have the difficult call yet."

Indian Premier League Suspended for At Least a Week Amid Tensions

With the Indian Premier League suspended for at least a week amid escalating border tensions, there may be an opportunity for the ECB to recall Bethell for the upcoming Test against Zimbabwe. However, it remains uncertain whether the ECB will take any action to bring him back.

Jordan was ruled out of the upcoming match due to an abdominal injury just after scoring a century for Essex. England have named 21-year-old James Rew in the squad for the Test against Zimbabwe.

The Somerset wicketkeeper-batter, who has hit 10 first-class centuries, is the youngest Englishman to reach that milestone since Denis Compton in 1939. Meanwhile, the omission of Bethell feels notable, especially with Zak Crawley’s inconsistency and Ollie Pope under pressure, despite Jamie Smith’s return.

Also read: South Africa and Australia release official statements on their players' safety amid India-Pakistan war