He was picked up by RCB for INR 2.60 crores in the IPL 2025 auction.
The Indian team will look to extend their lead against England in the ongoing five-match T20I series after winning the opener in Kolkata. However, the visitors have been dealt a blow ahead of the IND vs ENG 2nd T20I with a talented batting all-rounder’s availability uncertain for the contest.
Jacob Bethell, who was picked up by the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in last November’s Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) auction for INR 2.60 crores, is reportedly unwell and missed England’s training session. Thus, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has added young talented batter Jamie Smith to the 12-man squad for the second T20I.
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The absence of Bethell might prove to be a significant setback for the team, as his left-arm spin would have been particularly useful on the spin-friendly surface at Chepauk, one of India’s most favorable grounds for spinners.
On the other hand, England has replaced Gus Atkinson with Brydon Carse. Atkinson had a forgettable outing in Kolkata, where he made a painstaking 2 off 13 balls and leaked 38 runs in his two overs. Carse will now join the likes of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood and the trio can surely pose some trouble to the Indian batters as England aims to level terms.
The visitors face a daunting challenge, especially after being thoroughly outclassed by a dominant Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian side. Varun Chakravarthy delivered an exceptional spin performance, while Abhishek Sharma and the rest of the Indian batting lineup comfortably chased down the target with 43 balls remaining.
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