Jacob Bethell explains how IPL experience and a top-order mindset fuel his Ashes success.
Is the traditional path for a young Test batter—hiding at number six until the gray hairs show—finally dead? Jacob Bethell certainly thinks so.
As England prepares for the final Ashes Test in Sydney, the 22-year-old isn’t just asking for the most difficult job in the order; he is demanding it.
Fresh off a historic, drought-breaking victory in Melbourne, Bethell sat down with Nasser Hussain to explain why he is shunning the “safety” of the middle order for the fire of the new ball.
The Audacity of First Drop
Mark Ramprakash and other purists expressed frustration seeing a “green” player like Bethell thrust into the No. 3 slot during the Boxing Day Test. The logic is simple: protect the youngster.
But Bethell’s logic is sharper. He views the top order not as a graveyard, but as a land of opportunity.
- The Scoring Gap: While the bowlers are fresh, the gaps are wider. Bethell notes that in Australia, once the Kookaburra ball softens, scoring becomes a grind.
- The Mindset: He argues that if he wants to be a top-order player for a decade, there is no sense in waiting for “experience” to find him. He wants to find it himself.
The RCB Finishing School
Critics groaned when Bethell missed the Zimbabwe series in the summer of 2025 to stay with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Yet, he insists he returned a “much better cricketer.” Even with only two games under his belt, the “cauldron” of the IPL provided a psychological armor that no domestic circuit could forge.
- Learning from Legends: Rubbing shoulders with Virat Kohli and Andy Flower wasn’t about celebrity; it was about observing the elite “match-readiness” that defines the modern game.
- Crowd Calibration: Facing 50,000 screaming fans in Bengaluru made the 90,000-strong MCG crowd feel like a manageable evolution rather than a terrifying shock.
The Myth of Format Friction
The most fascinating part of Bethell’s evolution is his dismissal of “format switching” as a technical hurdle. He believes the real enemy isn’t the white ball or the red ball—it’s the lack of any ball at all.
In 2025, Bethell only played four first-class games, and he admits his form “tapered off” post-IPL. The “Deep Dive” realization here is that for a hybrid player, match minutes are the only currency that matters.
Bethell argues that his technique doesn’t change between a T20 and a Test; only the “speed of things” does. He identifies a dangerous trend for modern players: the gap between “net-ready” and “game-ready.”
By staying in the IPL and being retained for 2026, he is betting that constant exposure to high-pressure matches is a more effective teacher than a season of medium-pace in the County Championship.
What You’re Getting Wrong About the No. 3 Spot
Standard cricket wisdom suggests that a young player needs a “buffer.” Bethell’s stance flips this on its head.
- The “Maverick” Protection: When Brydon Carse was promoted above him in Melbourne, it looked like a demotion for Bethell. In reality, it allowed him to enter at No. 4 with a clearer head, scoring a vital 40.
- The Net Delusion: Bethell’s biggest piece of advice to young cricketers is to stop overvaluing the nets. You cannot replicate the “long zone” of a Test match—the psychological duel between batter and bowler—anywhere but in the middle.
The Sydney Reckoning
As England looks for back-to-back wins, Bethell is set to return to “first drop.” He isn’t claiming to have mastered the format, but he has mastered the fear of it.
For Jacob Bethell, the Ashes isn’t a test of his technique; it’s a test of his appetite for the biggest stage.
Key Takeaways
- Bethell insists on batting at No. 3, rejecting the idea that young players should be “protected” in the middle order.
- The IPL experience with RCB was his primary preparation for the pressure of the MCG.
- He identifies “match-readiness” as more important than technical adjustments between different formats.