3 min readApr 30, 2026 06:42 PM IST
England stars Jos Buttler and Stuart Broad have backed Jacob Bethell’s decision to remain with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL, arguing that the modern game has changed and that the youngster can still benefit enormously from being in the tournament even without regular game time.
Bethell’s situation has sparked debate in England after former captain Alastair Cook suggested the left-hander would be better served returning home to play county cricket rather than staying on the bench in India.
That stance was strongly challenged by Kevin Pietersen, who argued that critics underestimate the value of being part of an IPL setup. Pietersen said training alongside elite players, working with world-class coaches and learning in a high-pressure environment could be just as beneficial for a young cricketer as county appearances.
Buttler sided firmly with that argument, saying those who have not experienced the IPL often fail to understand what it offers.
“I think unless you’ve played in the IPL and been here and experienced it, it’s very difficult to say that’s the best place to be,” Buttler said.
He added that traditional thinking no longer fully applies in the current cricket landscape. “I think that old school way of thinking would be, you’re not playing there, get back and play cricket.”
Buttler also pointed out that Bethell had made a professional commitment to RCB when he entered the auction and signed with the franchise. “But also, you’ve put your name in the auction last year. You’ve signed a contract that you’re going to be here, and you’ve got to honour that contract as well.”
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Broad echoed the sentiment, suggesting Bethell’s place in England’s plans is already secure after recent performances. “And ultimately, from his point of view, he is in the England team. His last Test match innings, or Test match, he got a hundred in Sydney,” Broad said.
Broad added that returning to county cricket was unlikely to improve his chances of breaking into RCB’s playing XI. “He’s not going to get in the RCB team by not being there.”
Buttler then underlined how priorities have shifted in the modern game, where development is no longer limited to domestic cricket. “I think it’s quite simple, to be honest. Times have changed, and that’s the position of the modern game, and he’s a brilliant player.”
The former England white-ball captain also backed Bethell to continue progressing despite limited match opportunities in the IPL.
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“He’ll be hitting loads of balls, and I’m sure we’ll see him score loads and loads of runs when he gets back to England,” Buttler concluded.
Jacob Bethell has been used as an impact sub by RCB in recent IPL matches, with Phil Salt unavailable due to injury.
