Jacob Bethell was dismissed for 14 on his first appearance of the 2026 Indian Premier League season for Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday.
Bethell’s involvement in the tournament had been questioned after he was unused in RCB’s opening six matches. Former England captain Sir Alastair Cook urged the youngster to return to Warwickshire rather than “sitting on his a*** at the IPL not doing anything”. Ex-England batter Kevin Pietersen responded on social media: “Alastair Cook has absolutely NO IDEA what it’s like to be in the IPL… Stay in India, Jacob. I know, even though you’re not playing, you’re learning and will be a way better player.”
Bethell got his first opportunity of the season as an impact player in RCB’s match against Gujarat Titans. Not named in the initial XI, he was substituted in to open the batting in a chase of 206. The 22-year-old left-hander struck three fours in a 10-ball cameo before he was trapped in the third over, lofting a Mohammed Siraj delivery straight to point.
Virat Kohli then anchored the chase, producing a commanding 81 off 44 balls despite being dropped early, and shared a decisive partnership with Devdutt Padikkal, who made 55 off 27. Kohli’s innings helped RCB secure a five-in-seven run of wins, reaching the target with seven balls to spare and moving to second in the table.
Earlier, Gujarat’s opener Sai Sudharsan hit a sublime century — 100 off 58 balls — as the Titans posted 205-3, but his effort proved insufficient. England’s Jos Buttler scored 25 off 16 while batting at No. 3 for Gujarat.
Despite criticism over his IPL role while the county season is ongoing, Bethell defended his decision to remain with RCB. Reportedly earning around £250,000 from the franchise, he said on the Sky Cricket podcast: “I firmly believe that this is the thing for me to be doing right now.” He added that he felt better now than a month after the World Cup thanks to being around the squad and experiencing the standard of cricket in India and the IPL.
Bethell argued that many do not understand the tournament’s environment until they are part of it, saying it “has a completely different feel” and that players raise their game because of the calibre of competition. He acknowledged that you might not get as much time in the middle as in the County Championship, but stressed the value of performing under intense scrutiny and the learning gained from practice matches and being part of the squad.