The debate has intensified regarding the inclusion of young England batsman Jacob Bethel with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the ongoing Tata Indian Premier League 2026 (Tata IPL 2026). The main reason behind this debate is that Jacob Bethel got his first match of this season with RCB on 24th April only.
The English sensation warmed the bench during RCB’s first six matches in the ongoing IPL 2026. This led former England captain Alastair Cook to suggest that Bethell should return to county cricket for more game time rather than warming the bench in the IPL.
Alastair Cook vs Kevin Pietersen on Jacob Bethel’s IPL 2026 stay
Alastair Cook believes match practice in England will help him prepare better for the upcoming Test matches, as the team is set to host New Zealand in a three-match Test series in June-July 2026. But former England star Kevin Pietersen feels that Bethel is doing the right thing by staying in India.
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Pietersen believes that being around top international players every day in the IPL is a big learning experience for Bethel, even if he is not playing every match for RCB. He also pointed out that training in such high-pressure tournaments helps young players grow faster.
Kevin Pietersen posted,
Alastair Cook has no idea what happens in IPL. What’s it like to always be around the best players in the world?
Therefore his opinion on Jacob Bethel does not matter.
Stay in India, Jacob. I know, even if you’re not playing, you’re learning and…– Kevin Pietersen🦏 (@KP24) 23 April 2026
Kevin Pietersen gets Samit Patel’s support in heated debate on Jacob Bethel
The Englishman gave several reasons why Bethel should stay in India and learn from the top-class players in the ongoing IPL 2026. Now, Pietersen got support from his former England teammate Samit Patel in this debate, as he disagreed with Cook’s candid opinion on Bethel.
He pointed out that Bethel has been working under experienced coaches like Andy Flower and sharing the dressing room with legends like Virat Kohli, giving him a rare opportunity to learn how top players think and prepare. Notably, Flower currently serves as the head coach of RCB, and he has previously worked in this position with the England cricket team.
Samit Patel was quoted by the Daily Mail as saying: “I’m with Kev. He’s still hitting balls, and he’s with the best coaches around the world. His coach is Andy Flower, who knows English cricket. Surely, Flower would have whispered in his ear, “You’ve got a big Test series coming up; Do some work”.”
Don’t consider it a bad thing: Samit Patel
The experienced all-rounder has stressed that while county cricket can only provide match practice, the IPL is giving Bethel exposure to world-class cricket and intense match situations every day, which could shape his future differently.
Patel said, “Jacob Bethel doesn’t have a lot of experience in English cricket; he hasn’t played that much county cricket, but he has one of the best batsmen ever, Virat Kohli, who he can talk to just while batting, so I don’t think it’s such a bad thing.”
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