Bethell To Become England's Youngest Men's Captain

1 month ago

Jacob Bethell successful a shot hat, pinch sunglasses connected nan brim

Matthew Henry

BBC Sport Journalist

Jacob Bethell is group to go nan youngest man to skipper England successful world cricket erstwhile nan 21-year-old leads an understrength T20 broadside connected a circuit of Ireland successful September.

With regular white-ball skipper Harry Brook and England's different all-format players rested, nan activity for 3 T20s successful Dublin has been handed to all-rounder Bethell, who has had constricted playing clip this summer.

Monty Bowden was 23 years and 144 days aged erstwhile he led England successful a Test against South Africa successful 1889, and to day he remains nan youngest man to person captained England successful an international.

Prior to nan Ireland tour, a full-strength England will play 3 one-day internationals and 3 T20s against South Africa, and Hampshire bowler Sonny Baker has been fixed a first call-up.

Baker has impressed pinch his lively gait bowling successful The Hundred, taking 2 wickets successful 4 matches for Manchester Originals truthful far.

Fast bowler Mark Wood has been near retired of each of nan squads, having not played since February aft knee surgery.

He had been targeting a return successful nan 5th Test against India earlier this period earlier a setback and his continued absence is simply a interest fixed his value to England's hopes successful nan Ashes this winter.

England opportunity they are prioritising Wood's wintertime schedule, though his betterment is taking longer than expected. Bowler Gus Atkinson has besides been near out.

Brydon Carse, who skipped The Hundred to negociate his workload, is included among nan onslaught options for nan South Africa matches, on pinch Jofra Archer, Baker, Jamie Overton and Saqib Mahmood.

Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, who has besides impressed domestically this summer, has been recalled to nan squads which will beryllium led by batter Brook.

Phil Salt returns to nan T20 squads to look South Africa and Ireland aft paternity leave.

Despite some holding cardinal contracts, location is still nary spot for all-rounders Sam Curran aliases Liam Livingstone – moreover successful nan squad for nan Ireland bid erstwhile nan likes of Brook, Archer, Carse, Joe Root, Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith are resting.

England ODI squad for South Africa: Harry Brook (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wk), Brydon Carse, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wk).

England T20 squad for South Africa: Harry Brook (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wk), Brydon Carse, Liam Dawson, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Jamie Smith (wk), Luke Wood.

England T20 squad for Ireland: Jacob Bethell (capt), Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jos Buttler (wk), Liam Dawson, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt (wk), Luke Wood.

The determination to sanction Bethell skipper for nan Ireland bid is simply a singular show of faith.

England are immense admirers of his talents - he scored fifties successful each of his first 3 Tests past twelvemonth - but he is yet to make a period successful master cricket.

His only erstwhile knowledgeable arsenic skipper has been pinch England Under-19s.

Bethell's summertime has besides been stop-start. He missed nan one-off Test against Zimbabwe while astatine nan Indian Premier League, pinch Ollie Pope retaking nan number 3 position successful his absence.

He past played 3 ODIs and 3 T20s against West Indies from precocious May but was an unused personnel of England's squad for nan first 4 Tests against India.

When he was called successful for nan 5th Test aft an wounded to Ben Stokes, he had only played 1 red-ball lucifer this twelvemonth and returned scored of six and five.

In 3 Hundred matches since he has a precocious people of eight.

By picking him for each squads against South Africa and Ireland, England person opted to springiness him those matches to regain his form.

Another action would person been for Bethell to play successful Warwickshire's 3 County Championship matches successful September arsenic mentation for nan Ashes, for which he is still expected to travel.

By nan clip nan Ashes begins, he will person only played 25 first-class matches.