England promote Jacob Bethell to open in ODIs for first time… as Sam Curran makes case for Test return after shock retirement of Ben Stokes
Jacob Bethell is set to become England’s latest one-day opener against India next week as the selectors continue to shuffle the deck chairs.
Bethell has not batted above No 4 in his previous 21 ODIs, but Daily Mail Sport understands he is to become Ben Duckett’s fourth partner in the space of three series.
Jamie Smith was axed following the tour of New Zealand, Zak Crawley made just one appearance in Sri Lanka and then Rehan Ahmed was a surprise choice to occupy the position for the final two matches of a 2-1 win.
England do have other options: Will Jacks was picked at the top of the order early in his career, Tom Banton went in first for Somerset when he last played the format domestically in 2019 and Ahmed remains in the squad.
However, Bethell was an opener in his junior days, bats at No 3 in the Test team and is guaranteed his place in the XI as vice-captain to Harry Brook.
Jacob Bethell has played 21 ODIs but this will be the first time he has opened the batting
Alongside the 22-year-old in the 16 players named for the three-match series starting in Birmingham on 14 July are two uncapped players in Sussex all-rounder James Coles and Josh Tongue, whose dozen international outings to date have all come in Test cricket.
England have lost eight of their last 10 one-day internationals against India, and a series defeat here paired with Bangladesh beating Zimbabwe this month, would see England slip as low as ninth in the ODI rankings.
Meanwhile, Sam Curran says he would relish a return to Test cricket in the wake of fellow all-rounder Ben Stokes’ international retirement.
Curran, 28, admits Stokes’ decision leaves ‘a big gap to fill’ in the Test team, but that his love of playing for England is driving him to play all three formats.
His career began spectacularly eight years ago when he claimed a debut man of the series award against India, averaging 39 with the bat and 24 with the ball.
Having been overlooked for the past five years, though, he said: ’It’s one of those things where I just want to try to perform my best and whenever the time comes they decide whoever is going to replace Stokesy – playing for England is amazing and I’m a competitive guy.
‘When I’ve got a ball or bat in my hand I just try to do my best, so we’ll see what happens, but I love playing for England, whatever format that is.’
England have pulled something of a surprise for Saturday’s second Twenty20 international against the Indians – dropping Saqib Mahmood, who claimed three wickets in the abandoned opening match, and Lancashire team-mate Luke Wood on their home ground of Old Trafford.
Jofra Archer and Tongue – not considered at Chester-le-Street on Wednesday night because of the game’s proximity to the Test defeat to New Zealand – come in.
