Jacob Bethell: 2024 a year to remember

What a difference a year makes: just ask Jacob Bethell!

Rewind 12 months and a 20-year-old Bethell was focused simply on nailing down a place in the Warwickshire side.

In his words, England “felt quite far away” going into the 2024 season.

But a blistering Vitality Blast campaign with the Bears resulted in a call-up to England’s white ball series against Australia in September.

A white ball tour to the West Indies, and his home island Barbados, followed before Test selectors raised eyebrows by including Bethell for the Test tour of New Zealand.

“I felt quite far away from the England set-up coming into the season,” said Bethell. “My first goal was to be fit and cement my place in the Warwickshire team.

“But doing things consistently and carrying on the performances for the Bears led to where I am now. It definitely has happened quickly. I knew there had been eyes on me, from chats I’ve had, so it was just a matter of putting in performances to show people I can do it.”

If England felt distant a year ago, it’s now Bethell’s second home with many commentators and former players considering him fundamental to the future of the national side.

Blast off for Bethell

Bethell enjoyed a standout Vitality Blast campaign in 2024, the highlight of which was a stunning 15-ball 50 against Northants Steelbacks.

It was the fastest T20 half century by a Bear, and the second quickest by an English player in domestic T20 cricket behind Marcus Trescothick’s 13-ball effort for Somerset in 2010.

His highest score of the season came at local rivals Worcestershire when he hit an unbeaten 71 in a match-winning stand of 148 with Sam Hain.

The pair came together with Bears rocking on 7-3 but Bethell batted with an assurance and calmness that undoubtedly reassured England’s selectors.

He finished the T20 summer with an average of 36.10 – hitting 361 in 12 innings at a Strike Rate of 153.61 – while no-one hit more sixes (23) than Bethell.

The all-rounder has now surpassed 1,000 T20 runs at a Strike Rate of 140, and has topped 2,500 career runs in all formats.

England call-up

Bethell made a statement start to his international career, smashing 44 off 24 balls in the second IT20 against Australia in Cardiff.

He went on to play in all five ODIs, scoring 85 runs in four innings (28.33 ave) and taking four wickets before further enhancing his reputation in the Caribbean.

A maiden international 50 came in the second ODI in North Sound. He followed that with 127 runs for once dismissed at a strike-rate of 174 in the T20Is, including a match-winning 58* on his home island.

England sprung what many people considered a surprise by announcing Bethell – who joined Warwickshire’s Youth Pathway at Under-14s – would bat three in New Zealand after Jordan Cox’s injury necessitated a rejig.

But such a prominent position at the start of his Test career didn’t surprise those close to the 21-year-old.

Former Bear Michael Powell – who worked with Bethell at Rugby School – described him as a “Test-match batter in waiting”.

And Warwickshire High Performance Manager Paul Greetham, who coached Bethell through the Club’s youth pathway and Academy, added “he’s a red-ball player first, that’s how he’s grown up”.

After nicking off for 10 to a fine Nathan Smith delivery at Christchurch, Bethell breezed to an unbeaten 50 from 37 balls in the second innings.

He sealed an eight-wicket win with a clinical pull shot which would become his trademark across a glittering maiden series that featured two more second-innings half-centuries: 96 at Wellington and 76 at Hamilton.

Six half-centuries in 19 innings across all formats has been a highly impressive start to international cricket for Jacob Bethell.

Bethell in 2025

Bethell has a jam packed 2025 ahead of him.

He’s impressed with his first tilt in Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL) with Melbourne Renegades in Australia.

Next he travels to India to join up with the England white-ball squads ahead of February’s Champions Trophy in Pakistan and the UAE.

Then he’ll hotfoot back to India for his first taste of the IPL, where he’ll be playing alongside Virat Kohli for RCB.

England’s Test summer starts on 22 May with a one-off game against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, followed by a white ball series against the West Indies kicking off at Edgbaston on 29 May with a day-night spectacle.

And the eagerly-awaited Test series against India, including the Second Test (July 2-6) clash at Edgbaston, is set to be the cricketing highlight of the summer.

Fans can expect to see Bethell in action at his home ground for England…and they’ll be hoping for opportunities soon to see him back in a Bears shirt.