England all-rounder Jacob Bethell revealed that his recent experience in the Indian Premier League (IPL) was instrumental in preparing him for the high-pressure environment of his Ashes debut at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The 22-year-old contributed a vital 40 runs as England successfully chased a target of 175, securing a significant four-wicket victory and ending a long winless streak in Australia. Bethell was part of the victorious Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) team that clinched the IPL 2025 title.
Bethell admitted to initial nerves, but found the IPL’s fervent crowds oddly comforting. “I was pretty nervous. Not so much with the people, just the occasion, I guess. But I’ve played over in India where it feels like there’s 160,000 people watching,” he said. “This atmosphere was incredible and it was nice to get a win and contribute.” He elaborated on how the intensity of even a few IPL matches built his self-belief. “The IPL, I only played two games but every game and every occasion. Definitely, just knowing what I’m able to get out of myself when the situation is like that and when the atmosphere is like that. I definitely had a lot more confidence coming into this game after playing in front of, I don’t know, 50,000 – which felt like 100,000 – at the Chinnaswamy,” Bethell was quoted as saying.
Looking ahead, Bethell expressed his desire to make the number three position in England’s Test batting order his own. He understands the dual nature of batting at that spot, where aggressive opportunities coexist with potential risks. “I like three. You come in when the ball is new and in some scenarios the ball’s going all over the shop,” he commented. “But in other scenarios it presents opportunities to score when bowlers are trying to take wickets and the field is attacking there’s loads of gaps. So it’s a double-edged sword but I’m enjoying it. I would like to (nail down the role). I would like to just nail down any role in the team to be honest. If you’re in the XI and contributing to winning I’m pretty happy with that.”