Jacob Bethell Virat Kohli. [Source - AP]The situation around Jacob Bethell and his IPL stint with RCB has taken a new turn. After comments from Alastair Cook, there is now a fresh update, bringing Bethell back into focus and adding more talk around his current situation.As RCB continue their season, eyeing their second IPL title in a row, this new update on Bethell’s situation adds more spice. With different opinions already there, it adds more attention to Bethell and IPL 2026 as a whole.Alastair Cook’s fresh comments on Jacob Bethell’s IPL stint add new fireFormer England captain Alastair Cook had earlier advised Jacob Bethell to leave IPL 2026 and return to England. He felt Bethell should focus on red-ball cricket and play County matches for Warwickshire instead of spending time on the bench at RCB.Jacob Bethell, however, responded by backing his decision to stay in the IPL. Now, Cook, after all the online outrage over his previous comments, has reacted again in the latest episode of Stick to Cricket Podcast. “I just gave my opinion and I can justify it by saying that at the time he wasn’t playing. Last year as well, he went to the IPL and didn’t play either, so he has already had that benefit once or twice. In my opinion, he could have come back and actually played some cricket,” Cook said. This response from Alastair Cook adds more weight to his earlier stance, as he continues to stress the importance of game time. Despite Jacob Bethell getting some chances now due to Phil Salt's injury, Cook believes regular cricket would have helped him more. Alastair Cook Shuts Down Jacob Bethell’s IPL Take With Brutal Reality Check Alastair Cook’s comments firstly came when Jacob Bethell was not getting chances in the playing XI and was mostly on the sidelines. The idea was simple, instead of waiting in the IPL, he could return to England and gain valuable game time in County cricket. Bethell, however, had a different view. The youngster explained that even without regular matches, being part of a setup like RCB, training with top players like Virat Kohli, and staying in that environment helps improve his game naturally over time. Also Read: Jacob Bethell Issued Fresh Instructions Amid Demands To Leave RCBBut Alastair Cook was quick to respond again, stressing that while the IPL is a tournament every player wants to be part of, real improvement comes from actually playing matches, not sitting on the bench, underlining the importance of consistent game time for young cricketers. “Well, I get the other argument of learning from it, but there has got to be a stage where you have to play, like you cannot just learn from it. And I know that the IPL is a great tournament but it is also then no one is publicly ever going to say that the IPL is not the place to be because everyone knows it lines everyone’s pockets,” Cook added. Taking it further, Alastair Cook suggested that players like Jacob Bethell will naturally call the IPL a great tournament, and he agrees, but also pointed out that no one is going to speak against it publicly because it fills players’ pockets, adding a completely new layer to the debate altogether. Also Read: All IPL Final Venues (From 2008-2026)
