Jacob Bethell Named In 16-Man England’s Squad

Jamie Smith will be absent on paternity leave

Jacob Bethell headed to New Zealand in November / Getty Images.

 The England Cricket Board has included 21-year-old Jacob Bethell in the next England test squad. Bethell was included in the 16- man tour to New Zealand for the three Test series. This inclusion was followed by wicketkeeper Jamie Smith who will be out of the New Zealand series which is scheduled to start in November. Jamie Smith will be out on paternity leave. In Smith’s absence, Jordan Cox will debut as a keeper despite having limited experience behind the stumps.

This summer, Bethell left a mark during his white-ball format against Australia and in England’s 2nd T20I at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff where he won 44 from 24 balls in a chase of 194. Bethell has only played 20 county Championship games and he will be batting allrounder. Jacob Bethell admitted his lack of experience but hopes to find out that his second string as a left-arm spinner.

Speaking at PCA awards, Bethell said, "I definitely made my role clearer this year in the white-ball stuff, but I think at the minute I'm still very adaptable in red-ball. Having made a career-best 93 against Nottinghamshire in April, while batting at No. 6.”

He continued to say, "I haven't really found a place where I've gone, but I think that could be anywhere from opening to batting No. 7. Especially with bowling off spin, I'm hoping that I can get into a team being a genuine allrounder. So wherever that may be in the batting order it doesn't really matter, it's just actually getting into that team."

Captain Ben Stokes is set to lead his England squad. Where England is set to play 3 test series against New Zealand having the 1st match scheduled to be played on Thursday,28th November at Hagley Oval, Christchurch. The next two test series will be played in Wellington on 6th December and Hamilton on 14TH December.

England Test squad to tour New Zealand will include: 

Led by (captain)Ben Stokes, Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes.