India, May 10 -- Jacob Bethell, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) opening batter, found himself at the centre of a huge storm after some names back home in England asked him to prioritise the County Championship over the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The debate was started by former England captain Alastair Cook, who said that Bethell would be better off playing some red-ball cricket ahead of the upcoming Test series against New Zealand. It is worth noting that when Cook made these comments, Bethell hadn't played a single game in the IPL 2026 season, as RCB management went with Virat Kohli and Phil Salt as the opening batters.

However, with Salt getting injured, a spot opened up, and Bethell walked into the playing...