Key Points

Jacob Bethell is set to make history as England’s youngest-ever captain in the T20I series against Ireland. The 21-year-old all-rounder looks to emulate Ben Stokes’ hands-on leadership style. Bethell previously captained England at U19 level and was part of the West Indies white-ball sweep. His squad includes stars like Jos Buttler and Adil Rashid for the Dublin clash.

Key Points: Jacob Bethell Eyes Stokes Mentality in England Captaincy Debut vs Ireland

  • Bethell to become England’s youngest captain at 21
  • Surpasses Monty Bowden’s 23-year-old record
  • Credits Ben Stokes’ action-first leadership approach
  • Led England U19s before senior debut
3 min read

Bethell hoping to emulate Stokes in first England captaincy assignment against Ireland

England’s youngest-ever captain Jacob Bethell aims to channel Ben Stokes’ leadership style in his historic T20I debut against Ireland.

"I think a big thing I’ve noticed with Stokesy is that he leads with actions. – Jacob Bethell"

London, August 16

Jacob Bethell, who is set to become the youngest captain for an international match in England's history, is looking to channel Test skipper Ben Stokes' mentality of leading a side ahead of his first assignment in Dublin, Ireland, scheduled to begin on September 17.

The 21-year-old will take over the captaincy duties from designated skipper Harry Brook for the three T20Is against Ireland. Bethell, who surpassed Monty Bowden's record of leading the Three Lions at the age of 23, has just 29 international appearances under his belt.

While he holds a fair share of experience in leading a side, considering his past skipper stints at the U19 level, Bethell knows taking up the captain's mantle at the international level will be an enormous task for him.

Bethell has played a fair number of games under Ben Stokes. He sees the experienced all-rounder as someone who leads with his actions and hopes to emulate him with his batting performances in Dublin.

"I think a big thing I've noticed with Stokesy is that he leads with actions. He's always kind of the guy that takes the precedence and takes the situation on himself. So I'll be looking to do that as much as possible," Bethell said.

"Obviously, he does it in a bit of a different way with bowling, bowling fast and stuff like that, but I'll try and be doing that with a bat and ball and in the field as much as possible. But yeah, I think the biggest thing is trying to lead by example," he added.

"Proud" Bethell was a part of England's 6-0 sweep over the West Indies in the white-ball series earlier this year. As he eagerly waits to make his captaincy debut, the young all-rounder hopes to replicate a similar result.

"Yeah, quite a day. Obviously, finding out is kind of the first emotion that comes is pride. Um, yeah, captain in England is obviously going to be an honour, and I can't wait to do it. Yeah, definitely. Um, obviously getting picked for England's always an honour. But yeah, we had a great series against West Indies at the start of this summer," he said.

England squad for T20 series vs Ireland: Jacob Bethell (Captain), Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jos Buttler, Liam Dawson, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Matthew Potts, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Luke Wood.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

A
Ananya R
England's cricket system is so different from ours! In India, even at U19 level we prefer experienced players as captains. But looking at Stokes' influence, maybe this bold move will pay off for them.
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David E
As an England fan in India, I'm excited but nervous. Bethell has potential but Ireland can be tricky opponents. Hope he brings that Stokes-like aggression to the T20 format!
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Shreya B
Why is England experimenting against Ireland? They should field their best team regardless of opponent. This casual approach shows lack of respect for associate nations. Cricket needs more competitive matches!
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Karthik V
Good learning opportunity for Bethell before big tournaments. Reminds me of when Dhoni was made captain - young but with good leadership qualities. Hope he gets proper support from senior players like Buttler.
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Priyanka N
The squad looks balanced but missing some star power. Interesting to see how this young captain manages senior players. In Indian cricket, we've seen how important that dynamic is for team success.
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Michael C
As someone who follows both Indian and English cricket closely, I appreciate England's willingness to take risks with young talent. Maybe BCCI could learn something about giving opportunities to youngsters!

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