3 min readMay 6, 2026 10:34 PM IST
He hasn’t set the IPL on fire yet, but Jacob Bethell is quickly coming to terms about what it takes to flourish in the Indian Premier League. The 22-year-old has been highly regarded in England for some time and has even captained the national side but he burst onto the limelight big time with a hundred in the last Ashes Test in Sydney in January. Indian fans got to know him first-hand when he gave the home team a big scare with a century in the big chase in the T20 World Cup semifinal in Mumbai in March.
Bethell has played just three matches for Royal Challengers Bengaluru this season with a grand total of 39 runs. But he has already earned something which he will cherish for a long time – watching Virat Kohli from up close and observing what makes the maestro tick, especially when he has a target to overhaul.
“Watching Virat chase, you understand the art of batting, how to control a chase and stay not out. It’s about shifting gears based on the situation,” Bethell said on RCB Bold Diaries.
He has opened with Kohli in his three games so far and though the partnerships have been worth 26, 26 and 34, the short stints would be invaluable in teaching Bethell what it takes to perform in the IPL cauldron.
“When I got to RCB, I was curious about the experience. Watching Virat, (skipper) Rajat (Patidar), and speaking to DK (Dinesh Karthik), I realised the game shifts here. It’s played at a high tempo; you have to be aggressive and brave,” the England prodigy, who was born in Barbados, said.
RCB head coach Andy Flower has coached in T20 leagues around the world, and also had a long and successful stint with England during which period the team reached the pinnacle of Test cricket. Bethell came onto the scene much later, but he was nevertheless keen to work with the Zimbabwe-born former wicketkeeper-batter-turned-coach, who was the one to end the long wait of RCB fans for the IPL crown last year. Interacting with Karthik, the mentor and batting coach has also been enlightening.
“Andy observes and speaks only when needed; you listen when he does. DK is excellent at spotting things and identifying scoring areas quickly,” Bethell observed.
