Jacob Bethell Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Image Credits: X/AFP
Former England captain Alastair Cook has now set his eyes on young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after his recent rant on England’s Jacob Bethell. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is currently turning out for the Rajasthan Royals, and there are murmurs of him being fast-tracked into the Indian team for upcoming T20I assignments.
On the other hand, Jacob Bethell has been warming the bench for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Alastair Cook urged him to leave the Indian Premier League midway and come play English county cricket for Warwickshire.
Alastair Cook wants Jacob Bethell to play County cricket if he’s going to warm the bench for RCB in IPL 2026
Speaking on the Stick to Cricket podcast, Alaistair Cook was unhappy with Royal Challengers Bengaluru not playing Jacob Bethell in the playing XI and said that the batter should seriously consider coming back from the IPL to help his county, Warwickshire, in the English county championship.
Despite making a big impression during the just-finished T20 World Cup 2026, Bethell has not yet played for RCB in an IPL 2026 match. The youthful left-hander is no longer in the starting lineup because the team is depending on foreign players like Josh Hazlewood, Romario Shepherd, Tim David, and Phil Salt.
“For that top-order batting, the way he played at Sydney, against that attack, in those conditions…I’ve looked at a player there, and I’m certain this bloke can open. If he can bat three, he can open. (But) it’s not ideal, is it? Bethell shouldn’t really be it because he’s not opening. He’s sitting at the IPL, not doing anything. Ideally, he could come back and open for Warwickshire to help England,” Cook said on the podcast.
Alastair Cook makes fun of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s age amidst India debut talks
The remarkable ascent of 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was discussed in detail by former England cricketers Michael Vaughan, David Lloyd, Alastair Cook, Alex Hartley, and Phil Tufnell. One of the leading run scorers in the current season, Sooryavanshi briefly wore the Orange Cap after making a spectacular start in the IPL previous season with a century.
In the impending tour of Ireland following the IPL, Vaughan and Tufnell supported the Rajasthan Royals batsman to make his senior India debut. Vaughan even asserted that he would have chosen Sooryavanshi for the white-ball tour of England later this year if he had been a selector.
Also Read: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Gives Reality Check To Age-Fraud Claims With Stunning Revelation
However, it was Alastair Cook who took a dig at Sooryavanshi’s age and asked whether he had a passport to travel overseas with the Indian team, if picked.
Here's the entire conversation from the latest episode:
Vaughan: “Sooryavanshi... 246 runs, average of 41, striking at 236.”
Lloyd: “Shouldn't he be at school? You can't leave school.”
Vaughan: “I don't think he's at school, Dave. I reckon he's going to go on that T20 trip to Ireland. Isn't he? I would have him in the squad for the England series this summer.”
Tufnell: “Why not? Why wouldn't he?”
Cook: “Does he have a passport?”
Vaughan: “If he were 20... just because he's 15, you're like, 'Oh, we've got to be careful.'" Jasprit Bumrah ran in, and he just flicked him into the stands for a six.”
Hartley: It's almost like these young kids who grow up these days have this lovely arrogance. They don't feel the pressure and are like, 'I'll just go and play the game.' And I love it when he just comes in and goes like, 'Alright! Jofra Archer... bang!'. See you later. Why would you not pick him?
Vaughan: “The new T20 opener is him. Even Jaiswal has been playing great at the other end. But at times, Sooryavanshi has made him look 'just ok.' And he's outstanding.”
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in IPL 2026
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has already gone past his IPL 2025 tally of runs, as he now has 254 runs in 7 games in IPL 2026. He has hit two fifties, with the best score of 78, at a strike rate of 220.86. Sooryavanshi has also hit 26 fours and 20 sixes already for the franchise.
Also Read: RCB's Batting In Quest For Revival Against GT's Pace-Bowling Force
