Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan has advised young all-rounder Jacob Bethell to leave the Indian Premier League 2026 and return to the United Kingdom, citing injury worries and uncertainty over his place in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru lineup as the playoffs approach.
Bethell's Struggles in IPL 2026
Bethell entered the IPL with high expectations after impressive performances for England earlier this year. However, the left-hander has managed only 163 runs in nine matches, failing to make a significant impact. His campaign was further hampered when a finger injury ruled him out of RCB's final league-stage match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 22. This forced the team to reshuffle their batting order, with Venkatesh Iyer opening alongside Virat Kohli while awaiting the return of fellow Englishman Phil Salt for the playoffs. Captain Rajat Patidar also returned to the XI after recovering from a finger injury.
Vaughan's Call for National Priority
With England set to begin their Test summer against New Zealand on June 4, Vaughan believes Bethell should prioritize recovery and national duty over remaining with RCB if he is unlikely to feature in the knockout stages. Speaking on Cricbuzz, Vaughan said: "If Jacob Bethell's injured, he should be on the next plane home to England. England plays a Test match on June 4th, making sure that England has a look at him before potentially, to see if he is fit or not going to be fit for the Test match against New Zealand. I would think he's better off back in the UK, just getting assessed."
Value of IPL Experience vs. National Duty
Vaughan acknowledged the benefits of IPL exposure for young cricketers but stressed that England's preparation must take precedence. "I'm being a bit old school, I guess they'll say he's got to stay till the end, but if he's not going to play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, England have got a training camp this next week. He should be back home in the UK," he added. The former skipper highlighted that Bethell has already gained valuable experience from two seasons in the IPL environment. "You know I'm a big believer in the IPL. If you're going to play, it grows your game massively. And obviously, when you're a young player in the dressing room with lights, I completely get it. As a young player, he was here last year, so he learned a lot. This year, he's played a little bit, but hasn't had a huge amount of success. But if he is injured, England has a training camp this week. Baz McCullum arrives in the UK on Sunday morning, and I think the training camp starts Monday. He should be back in the UK with the team."
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