'Virat Kohli was unbelievable in helping me out' - Jacob Bethell lauds India stalwart after RCB stint

Jacob Bethell had a memorable maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) stint this year as he was a part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise which lifted the coveted title for the first time. The England all-rounder was roped in by RCB at the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia last year for INR 2.60 crore.

Bethell had to wait for his opportunity as he only got a chance when compatriot Phil Salt missed a couple of games midway through the season due to illness. The southpaw scored 12 runs off six balls, opening the batting alongside Virat Kohli on his debut against Delhi Capitals on April 27. However, in the following game, he made his presence felt, scoring a 33-ball 55, with the help of eight fours and two maximums. The opening partnership added 97 runs inside 10 overs.

Bethell, who scored 85 runs in three games at an average of 85 and a strike rate of 173.47 during England's recent 3-0 T20I series win against the West Indies, expressed his gratitude to Kohli for helping him out with different facets of his game during the IPL. The 21-year-old also said that it was remarkable to watch Kohli shifting gears during an innings, especially while chasing.

“It’s been great. Virat was unbelievable with helping me out, and even just the things he didn’t say to me personally, but just watching how he goes about training and how he approaches things. Especially like chasing in a T20 game. That was unbelievable to watch and unbelievable to see first hand, just how easily he is able to shift up and down the gears and is able to template an innings depending on what is needed,” Bethell told Sky Sports.

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Bethell rewarded for stellar start across formats

Meanwhile, Jacob Bethell has had an impressive start to his career. He has played three Tests, 12 ODIs, and 13 T20Is so far. He is averaging 52, 35.22, and 40.14 in the three formats, respectively. The Barbados-born has been named in England's squad for the first Test against India, starting on June 20.