RCB batsman who quit IPL ahead of play-offs ‘absolutely fine’ to play for England in Test against New Zealand as McCullum calls for ‘refined’ Bazball

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli, right, and his batting partner Jacob Bethell run between the wickets during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders in Raipur, Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (AP Photo) England batsman Jacob Bethell is available for selection for the first Test against New Zealand starting on Thursday after recovering from a finger injury that forced him out of IPL 2026 ahead of the play-offs.Bethell cut short his stint with IPL 2026 champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru to return home and be assessed by England’s medical team ahead of the New Zealand series.England head coach Brendon McCullum confirmed on Tuesday that the left-hander had made a full recovery.“He had surgery on the gully yesterday at our training session and he’s absolutely fine, so there’s no problem there,” McCullum said.“He should be able to bowl as well, which is quite useful for us to have another top-order bowling option.Bethell was one of England’s positives during the 4-1 Ashes defeat in Australia, scoring a century in the Sydney Test. He has played six Tests so far and averages 43. His only previous appearance in a domestic Test came against India last year when he batted at No.6 and scored 6 and 5.The 21-year-old is now set to bat at No.3, replacing Ollie Pope. McCullum said Bethell has no shortage of preparation despite spending time in franchise cricket.“His game looks fine,” he said, according to the AP. “I’m sure working in India, I know it’s probably not ideal in terms of structure and maybe he doesn’t get as many red balls under his belt, but he’s got a level head and is a very methodical preparer when it comes to the mental side of the game.”The England coach also spoke about the future of the team’s “baseball” approach after the Ashes failure. He said England still wanted to retain its identity but was looking to improve in key areas.“We still want to be recognizable from the past,” he said, “but hopefully we want to be a cricket team that has evolved a little bit in some key areas where we found ourselves falling short before. We want to be a team that is better under pressure, a team that can navigate tactically, that understands where you sit in the game and what is needed.”“We still want the identity of the past,” he added, “but we want a more refined version of it.”