England batter Jacob Bethell has suffered another setback in his recovery from a knee injury, putting his chances of playing in the upcoming Test series against South Africa in doubt. The 23-year-old has been ruled out of England’s white-ball tour of Australia after a fresh problem with his right knee emerged during training.
Bethell had travelled to Australia hoping to make his return to competitive cricket. However, scans revealed a recurrence of the injury, forcing him to head back to England for further assessment by specialists.
Jacob Bethell suffers fresh knee injury setback
Bethell has not played for England since July, when he picked up the knee problem during the ODI series against India. He felt discomfort while scoring an impressive 91 at Lord’s, and the injury eventually required surgery in September.
His recovery appeared to be progressing well when he joined the England squad in Australia ahead of the three-match ODI series, which begins in Perth on Friday. However, he missed the warm-up match against Western Australia over the weekend before experiencing another setback during a training session earlier this week.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed his withdrawal from the tour through a social media post.
Sussex all-rounder James Coles has been called up as Bethell’s replacement, while uncapped fast bowler Eddie Jack has joined the squad in place of Josh Tongue. The latter had already been ruled out of the tour with a toe injury.
South Africa Test series now a concern for England
While Bethell’s absence is a setback for England’s white-ball plans, the bigger concern is his availability for the upcoming Test tour of South Africa.
England will play five T20 internationals after the ODI series in Australia before beginning their Test campaign against South Africa on December 17. Bethell was named in England’s Test squad earlier this week, but his latest injury setback has put his participation in doubt.
His absence could also leave England with a selection headache, particularly in the batting department. Bethell had made a strong case for himself with an impressive 154 in the final Ashes Test against Australia in January, emerging as one of England’s standout performers during a difficult series.
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England selector Marcus North had earlier admitted that the team faced a tough decision over who would make way for Bethell following England’s 3-0 Test series win against Pakistan at home.
Emilio Gay and Jordan Cox, who featured as the opener and No. 3 batter respectively during that series, were among the players competing for places. Bethell’s injury could give both another chance to cement their positions in the side.
Ollie Pope among possible replacements
Ollie Pope could also come into the picture if Bethell is unable to recover in time. Pope was part of England’s plans as a reserve batter during the home summer and is currently scheduled to join the England Lions squad in South Africa.
His experience at the international level could work in his favour if England need another option in the batting order.
The selectors could also consider players from the Lions setup. James Rew, who has already played one Test for England, and uncapped Durham opener Ben McKinney have both been making a positive impression during the white-ball tour of the West Indies.
Another frustrating injury setback for Bethell
The latest development will be particularly disappointing for Bethell, who has already spent several months away from the game because of the same knee problem.
He had also missed The Hundred earlier this year after picking up the injury against India. Bethell was named captain of Birmingham Phoenix for the competition but was unable to take part.
England will now wait for the results of his specialist assessment before making a decision on his recovery timeline. Until then, his participation in the South Africa Test series remains uncertain.