England’s young star Jacob Bethell is looking forward to playing alongside Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and India stalwart Virat Kohli in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. Bethell became RCB’s latest acquisition in the recent IPL 2025 mega auction for Rs 2.6 crore. The 21-year-old attracted bids from Sunrisers Hyderabad and Punjab Kings but both franchises failed to overcome RCB’s resolve. Bethell will link up with his England teammates Phil Salt and Liam Livingstone at RCB but it is Virat he is most excited to rub shoulders with. “It’s a bit of a given, isn’t it? “Virat! He’s a great of the game so… King Kohli,” Bethell said, with a wry smile, as quoted from ESPNcricinfo.

The cash-rich league has been a platform for budding talents to absorb the experience and implement it in taking their game to new heights. Even Bethell is looking to go into the IPL and walk away with a “wealth of experience.”

“Any kind of overseas player that’s gone over there has come back with a wealth of experience,” he added.

Bethell was used at the number three spot instead of Ollie Pope, who regularly features in the top of the batting order for England in the opening Test against New Zealand.

As a result, Pope, who was put in charge of keeping the wicket, was downgraded to the number six spot. After his innings-saving 77 on Day 2, Pope informed about his plans to make the number three spot his own.

But Bethell hopes to have a chance to continue in the number three spot as his game perfectly suits the demands of the position.

“I like batting up the order so, yeah, I was really happy that opportunity arose. I’ve always wanted to bat in the top four so three is perfect,” he said.

“I think my game is fit to play any style. On Sunday we saw a bit more of an attacking style. I can also absorb a bit of pressure, so I’m sure at times in my career there will be times to do that as well,” he added.

In his debut Test for England, Bethell fell flat in the first innings after managing just 10 from 34 deliveries. He battled hard for survival on the field but it was up to no avail.

His struggles eventually ended after he nicked the ball away to wicketkeeper Tom Blundell off Nathan Smith. In the second innings, he looked more assured of himself and fired an unbeaten 50 in just 37 balls which took England to a comfortable 8-wicket success over New Zealand.

“That’s part of the game, isn’t it? I saw it [as] if I got through to lunch, it looked like a different pitch after lunch. It does help when you’ve got Harry Brook batting, he makes it look quite easy,” Bethell said about his outing in the first innings.

“I think it could have been a different story, I battled hard and unluckily didn’t make it through to lunch but another day you get through and go on to make a big one,” he added.

With England, 1-0 up in the series, securing the three-Test affair would certainly be something that they would eye in the second match, beginning on December 6 in Wellington.

England shattered records with another ‘Bazball’ run-chase of 104 runs during the first Test against New Zealand at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval on Sunday, taking the least amount of overs to complete a 100-plus run chase in history of Test cricket. Set a target of 104 runs, England did lose Zak Crawley for just one run, but knocks from Ben Duckett (27 in 18 balls, with four boundaries and a six), Jacob Bethell, the Test debutant (50* in 37 balls, with eight fours and a six) and Joe Root (23* in 15 balls, with three boundaries and a six) helped them complete the chase in just 12.4 overs, the fastest-ever in Test history. Previously, the record was held by the losing side, NZ, who had chased down 109 against Bangladesh in 18.4 overs back in 2017 at the same venue.

Also, the run rate of 8.21 is the highest ever by a team in a successful run-chase of 100 runs or more.

Previously, this record was held by the West Indies, who had a run rate of 6.82 while successfully chasing 172 against India in Kingston back in 1983. This was the first time in the 147-year history of Test cricket when a team maintained a run rate of over 8 in a run chase of 100 or above.

England have now won the first Test of five consecutive series (two home and three overseas). Their last defeat in a Test series opener was in the Ashes 2023 (at Edgbaston).

Coming to the match, England won the toss and opted to field first. The fifties from Kane Williamson (93 in 197 balls, with 10 fours) and Glenn Phillips (58 in 87 balls, with six fours and a six) were crucial in NZ reaching 348/10.

Brydon Carse (4/64) and Shoaib Bashir (4/69) were top bowlers for England.

In the next innings, thanks to a fine century from a red-hot Harry Brook (171 in 197 balls, with 15 fours and three sixes) and half-centuries from Ollie Pope (77 in 98 balls, with eight fours) and skipper Ben Stokes (80 in 146 balls, with nine fours), England took a lead of 151 runs, before getting all out for 499 runs.

In their next innings, despite fifties from Kane (61 in 86 balls, with seven fours) and Daryl Mitchell (84 in 167 balls, with 12 fours and a six), the Kiwis were bundled out for 254 runs, giving themselves only 103 runs lead. Carse (6/42) completed a memorable ten-wicket haul while Chris Woakes got three scalps.

England chased down the total with eight wickets in hand, Bethell unbeaten with Joe Root (23* in 15 balls, with three fours and a six).

Carse secured a ‘Player of the Match’ for his 10 wicket haul and a knock of 33* in 24 balls in the first innings.

England is 1-0 up in the three-match series, with second Test in Wellington from December 6 onwards.

Jacob Bethell will bat at number three on his Test debut as England on Tuesday named their team for the series opener against New Zealand in Christchurch. The 21-year-old was ushered into the side for the match beginning Thursday after wicketkeeper Jordan Cox broke his right thumb during a net session. Regular number three Ollie Pope replaces Cox with the gloves and drops down to bat at six, with captain Ben Stokes at seven in the batting order. 

Bethell, who has never batted higher than number four in first-class cricket, where he averages 25.44, only made his international debut two months ago in white ball matches against Australia and the West Indies. 

Joe Root stays at number four, despite making 262 when he batted third in the first Test in Pakistan last month. 

Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and all-rounder Stokes form the pace attack on a Hagley Oval pitch that traditionally offers a greenish wicket favouring the seamers. Shoaib Bashir is the lone spinner. 

New Zealand are yet to name their starting XI but can call on the services of leading batsman Kane Williamson, who has returned after injury forced him out of the recent 3-0 Test series win in India.

England: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ollie Pope, Ben Stokes (capt), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Shoaib Bashir.

New Zealand: Tom Latham (capt), Tom Blundell, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Will O’Rourke, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Nathan Smith, Tim Southee, Kane Williamson, Will Young.