Latest news with #JacobBethell
India Today
10 hours ago
- Sport
- India Today
Jacob Bethell, Sam Cook to leave England squad after India Test snub: Report
England batter Jacob Bethell and pacer Sam Cook are reportedly set to leave the England squad midway through the ongoing five-match Test series against India. The duo, both overlooked for the third Test at Headingley, will now return to play in the County Championship for Warwickshire and Essex who had been in contention for a place in the playing XI, was left out in favour of Ollie Pope. The 21-year-old, who enjoyed a strong Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 campaign with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, had carried that form into the limited-overs series against West Indies, scoring 82 in the first ODI and contributing impactful cameos of 23*, 26 (10), and 36* (16) in the T20I series, which England won 3-0. However, according to BBC, he will now head back to Warwickshire to maintain his red-ball rhythm, as his wait for a fourth Test cap vs IND, 1st Test Day 1: Updates Meanwhile, Sam Cook has also been released from the England squad after missing out on a place in the Headingley XI. England opted to bring back experienced seamer Chris Woakes, who returned from an ankle injury that had sidelined him since December last year. Woakes' return meant there was no room for Cook, who had been hoping to add to his solitary Test has been in impressive form in County Cricket for Essex and was seen as a promising option with the ball. But with England favouring experience for the crucial Headingley clash, the 27-year-old will now shift focus back to domestic cricket in hopes of earning another national players will look to continue their strong domestic performances as they wait for another opportunity at the international won the toss and elected to bowl first in the Headingley Test. India got off to a strong start, with openers KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal dominating most of the first session. However, Brydon Carse broke the momentum by dismissing Rahul, and Ben Stokes followed up by removing debutant Sai Sudharsan for a duck, shifting the momentum just before lunch on Day 1.
News.com.au
a day ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
It would be remarkable to drop Ollie Pope after 171
Ben Stokes insists Ollie Pope was never in danger of being dropped for this week's opening Test against India, claiming it would be 'remarkable' to leave his vice-captain out. Jacob Bethell is pushing hard for a place in the red-ball side as he continues his sharp ascent through the ranks but while he was at the Indian Premier League last month, Pope firmed up his spot at number three with a knock of 171 against Zimbabwe. If there were ever any doubts over him holding on to his shirt, that innings at Trent Bridge extinguished them and he remains the man in possession heading into a huge five-match series that begins on Friday at Headingley.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
England opt for Ollie Pope at No 3 over Jacob Bethell for first India Test
England's Ollie Pope will know there is a viable rival for his shirt waiting in the wings should he struggle for runs at Headlingley. England's Ollie Pope will know there is a viable rival for his shirt waiting in the wings should he struggle for runs at Headlingley. Photograph: Paul Childs/Action Images/Reuters Ollie Pope has retained his England place and will face India in the first Test starting on Friday, the 171 he scored against Zimbabwe last month having proved enough to hold off the emerging challenge of Jacob Bethell. Bethell's success in Pope's No 3 slot during the three-match series in New Zealand over the winter, when he scored a half-century in each Test and averaged 52, appeared to have made the position his to lose. Advertisement Related: Tendulkar v Anderson: two master craftsmen who gave more than anyone to Test cricket | Andy Bull However, the 21-year-old missed the first Test of the summer because of his Indian Premier League commitments, allowing Pope – who had dropped to No 6 in New Zealand while temporarily taking on wicketkeeping duties – to return to his favoured position and enjoy the benefits of incumbency. Before the Zimbabwe game, Ben Stokes hinted that Bethell would come straight back into the side once he was available, but the England captain later insisted his comments had been deliberately misinterpreted. 'It is unfortunate that you say something and it can get twisted to suit an agenda,' he said. Though Pope's performance at Trent Bridge is likely anyway to have secured his place at least for the start of this series, that Stokes felt the need to reassure in private him that he remained an integral member of the team would also have made it harder to then drop him. 'It was all good,' Pope said of that conversation. 'It's all noise to us.' Advertisement As expected England have chosen a seam attack with hugely different levels of international red-ball experience in Brydon Carse (who has five Test caps), Josh Tongue (who has three) and Chris Woakes, who has 57, with Stokes contributing in short bursts. England team (First Test v India, Headingley) Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue, Shoaib Bashir. On Wednesday Carse admitted there was 'no hiding away' from the callowness of the bowling group. 'Over a number of years England have had Stuart Broad and James Anderson as the two main bowlers, so it is more inexperienced,' he said. 'But a lot of the guys that have come in and played Test cricket over the last couple of years have started off well and that will give them a level of confidence. And someone like Chris Woakes, who has played a lot of Test cricket in different conditions against different teams, he's someone who brings a level of calmness to a group of bowlers.' Advertisement The absence of Broad and Anderson has also been the subject of discussion in the India camp. 'It feels so good when both of them are not there,' said their vice-captain, Rishabh Pant. 'They've been there for England for so many years, but at the same time they have enough ammunition as a bowling lineup. We've got to play our cricket and respect the bowlers and the opposition.' After the recent retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma this is a new-look India side, now captained by Shubman Gill. 'Obviously it's a new start for us. Definitely big people have left. Yes, there will be a gap,' Pant said. 'But at the same time it's an opportunity for us to build a new culture, or take the culture forward. Sharing knowledge with each other, having that care and love in the dressing room for each other, that's something we're looking forward to. The idea is very simple: look to play positive, brave cricket. You've got to keep finding ways to make your team win.' While all three of Tongue's previous Test appearances have come at home this will be Carse's first in England after a string of impressive performances over the winter was temporarily halted by an infected toe – an injury that prompted him to briefly consider amputation – that kept him out of the Zimbabwe game. 'Over the years I've watched a number of great games of Test cricket in England, and to be part of this group for the past eight or nine months has been really exciting,' he said. 'A couple of the guys have said this series is something else, that playing Test cricket in England is a different feeling. To be part of this is something I'm very excited about.'
The Independent
a day ago
- Sport
- The Independent
Mark Ramprakash believes Jacob Bethell's test match career can follow Brian Lara's
Mark Ramprakash claims Jacob Bethell has a bright future for England but he will have to wait for an extended run at Test level, just like West Indian great Brian Lara. The Warwickshire all rounder missed out on selection for Friday's first Test against India at Headingley, following much speculation that Test captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum would find a place for him. Bethell was also left out of the recent Test win against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge due to his Indian Premier League deal with Royal Challengers Bangalore. Meanwhile, Ollie Pope, who had been dropped down the batting order to accommodate Bethell for three Tests in New Zealand during the winter, eased mounting speculation that he could be the man to make way by scoring 171. Also under scrutiny had been Zak Crawley. However, he ended a run of 27 Test innings and 22 months without a Test ton in posting 124 in Nottingham recently. With that pair now, seemingly, back in form Stokes has chosen not to tinker. It's a move that sits well with former England batter Ramprakash. In his latest piece for The Guardian, Ramprakash drew comparison with Bethell and one of the game's all-time greats. He wrote: 'Who knows what lies ahead for him (Bethell) but in considering his position now I think back to the visit of West Indies in 1991 when they had an emerging left-handed batter in their squad by the name of Brian Lara. 'Though people were already hugely excited by him Lara spent the entire series as 12th man before coming into the side the following year, and while the rest of Bethell's career might not live up to that of the brilliant Trinidadian, I can see its next stage following Lara's.' Bethell made three half centuries in the winter against New Zealand and averages 52 in the early throes of his Test career. His 96 in the second innings of the second Test in Wellington took him agonisingly close to what would have been a first senior century in any format. While the various England captains and selectors are very much backing him for the long term, he is likely to have to look on from the stands for much of the summer, as the Test side embarks on the first of two huge series with the first Test against India beginning in Leeds tomorrow.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
England dropping Pope would be 'remarkable'
England v India - first Test Venue: Headingley Dates: 20-24 June Time: 11:00 BST Coverage: Ball-by-ball radio commentary on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds. In-play video clips and text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. Today at the Test on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two each night. Advertisement England dropping Ollie Pope for Jacob Bethell would have been "remarkable" after the batter scored 171 against Zimbabwe last month, says captain Ben Stokes. Choosing between vice-captain Pope and 21-year-old Bethell was the major selection decision for England before the first Test against India on Friday at Headingley. England opted to retain Pope at number three, despite Bethell impressing in that position after being given his debut in New Zealand last year. "The 'big selection' [idea] did not come from us," Stokes said. "It would be remarkable to choose someone else if their last knock was a 170, and that's pretty much all I need to say on that." Advertisement Bethell's opportunity at number three came when Pope stood in as wicketkeeper during Jamie's Smith paternity leave and moved down the order. Bethell scored half-centuries in each of the three Tests in New Zealand but then missed the Test against Zimbabwe because he was playing in the Indian Premier League. Pope went back to the position he has held since Stokes took over as captain in 2022 - he averages 43.06 at first drop despite also returning a series of low scores - against Zimbabwe and scored his seventh Test hundred in the role. "In this day and age it's very tough to not see all that kind of speculation and stuff around it just because of how easily accessible things are. You don't even have to go and hunt for it to see it these days," Stokes said of Pope. Advertisement "But I think scoring 170 in his last Test match has sort of shown how well he's handled that extra scrutiny." England have had 'honest conversations' around style With an Ashes series in Australia to follow in the winter, the start of the much-anticipated five-match series against India signals the beginning of a run of 10 Tests which will define Stokes' reign as captain. Stokes, though, was keen to refute any suggestion England would have an eye on Australia while playing India. "We will come to that when we come to that but for us right now it's about focusing on these five games that we've got coming up against India," he said. Advertisement The series also comes at an intriguing time for Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum with England having won four and lost four of their past eight matches. With their aggressive approach, they have reached remarkable highs - there were notable victories in their first year in charge against New Zealand, India and Pakistan - but series wins against West Indies, Sri Lanka and New Zealand over the past 12 months have also been interspersed with awful defeats. Stokes says the squad have had "honest conversations" about how to improve. "I don't think defensive frame of mind is the right way of saying it," Stokes said. Advertisement "I think it's just being smarter in those situations when it's obvious that the opposition is on top of us at that moment and they have got the upper hand on us. "'What do we need to do to wrestle that momentum back towards us so then we can start putting the pressure back onto them?'." Teams to play for Anderson-Tendulkar trophy The teams will play for the new Anderson–Tendulkar Trophy, named after legendary former players James Anderson and Sachin Tendulkar. The trophy replaces the Pataudi Trophy, named after the Pataudi family. "It's a fabulous feeling," Tendulkar told the BBC. "When I got to know about the honour, I was ecstatic. Advertisement "I remember sharing this with my family and also spoke to Pataudi family as well. "I feel it's a reflection of what, not just me, but Jimmy and I have been able to contribute to our nation in Test cricket and it's all about Test cricket, which is the most challenging format." Anderson said: "It's pretty surreal. "You don't start playing cricket for things like this to happen, but when they do happen it's lovely, especially alongside Sachin. "I've not only played against him quite a few times, but growing up, watching him, seeing him play for Yorkshire as well, it's just an incredible feeling and I'm very honoured to be a part of it."
