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England is reportedly set to call up uncapped all-rounder Jacob Bethell for their upcoming Test tour of New Zealand next month. Bethell's inclusion aims to provide cover for Jamie Smith, who will be unavailable for at least part of the series due to the impending birth of his first child.
While Jordan Cox is expected to take on wicketkeeping duties in Smith's absence, Bethell is primarily joining the squad as batting cover, according to reports from the Telegraph and the Daily Mail. The 24-year-old made his international debut in England's white-ball series against Australia this summer, where he impressed with a rapid 44 off 24 balls in the second T20I and played a vital role with the ball in the ODI series. However, Bethell's first-class career has yet to reach similar heights. Since his red-ball debut in 2021, he has played 20 matches, averaging 25.44 without a century, though he has achieved five half-centuries in first-class cricket, as per Wisden. Bethell's selection reflects England's current Test management strategy, which favours potential over established records. He joins a growing list of players, including Josh Hull, Shoaib Bashir, and Rehan Ahmed, who have been called up to the Test squad with limited first-class experience. Currently, Bethell is with the England squad in the Caribbean, where they will play three ODIs and five T20Is starting on October 31. Born and raised in Barbados, he moved to the UK as a teenager after receiving a scholarship. In 2021, he signed his first professional contract with Warwickshire, where he was praised by Ian Bell as "the best 17-year-old" he had ever seen. He made headlines in 2022 with a stunning 42-ball 88 in the U19 World Cup quarter-finals. England's Test series in New Zealand is set to begin on November 27, with the third and final Test, England's last Test assignment of the winter, scheduled for December 13. (ANI)
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