Jacob Bethell set to withdraw his name from IPL 2026? Check the full controversy

The former England skipper, Sir Alastair Cook, suggested that Jacob Bethell withdraw his name from IPL 2026 and go back to England to play county cricket for Warwickshire. Bethell is currently a part of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, but he hasn’t had a chance in the playing XI so far. According to Cook, Bethell is just losing his valuable time on the bench in the IPL, which is why he should go back to England to play county cricket. 

Jacob Bethell made the headlines for his recent T20 World Cup 2026 performance. During the World Cup, he scored 280 runs in 8 innings, including 1 century (against India in just 45 balls in the WC semi-final) and 1 half-century. He played with an average of 35.00 and a strike rate of 152.17. His century demonstrated that he is a player for the big stage and that he possesses the potential to emerge as a major player for England.

Citing Ben Duckett as an example, Alastair Cook told Jacob Bethell that Duckett, too—who was signed with DC—had withdrawn his name from the 2026 IPL to focus on Test cricket. Duckett is currently playing for Nottinghamshire in County cricket. 

In a recent development, Jacob Bethell responded to Alastair Cook's remarks. Bethell said that I have been through this situation before. Praising the IPL, he said that its standard is on a different level. The IPL experience is something that you cannot define until you yourself have been a part of the IPL. Whether you get a place in the playing XI or not, your standard increases in the IPL.

"I think we've seen last year, for me personally, that by not playing cricket for a little while, I came into the end of that India series a bit undercooked, which was a learning for me to take on board. 

"But actually, if you look at where I was last year after coming back from the IPL, I was flying, going into that West Indies series, and I feel in a similar position now.

"I feel better now than I was a month ago after the World Cup, through just getting time around the guys over here and the pure standard of cricket in India and the IPL.

"It's something that not many people will understand how cool it is until actually being around a team or the tournament itself when you're here.

"It just has a completely different feel. It feels like everyone almost ups their game subconsciously without even really knowing because of the calibre of the tournament.

"I feel like that even happens when you're not on the starting XI or even starting XII as it might be now with the impact player."

Royal Challengers Bengaluru signed Jacob Bethell for 2.60 crore during the mega auction of IPL 2025. He played only 2 matches in the IPL 2025, scoring 67 runs. He played only 2 matches in the IPL 2025, scoring 67 runs. Meanwhile, he hasn't had the opportunity to play even a single match so far this season. Currently, the overseas players featuring for RCB include Phil Salt, Tim David, Romario Shepherd, and either Josh Hazlewood or Jacob Duffy. Consequently, Bethell is unable to get an opportunity to play.