Ben Stokes has defended the decision to hand Jacob Bethell a Test debut at No.3 against New Zealand this week, but understands why some will query England's latest off-the-wall punt.
England announced their XI for the first Test at Hagley Oval, starting on Thursday, two days early, with Bethell replacing Jordan Cox, who had been in line for his maiden Test cap before fracturing his right thumb on Sunday. With Cox originally down to keep wicket in the absence of Jamie Smith on paternity leave, Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum decided upon a solution of handing the gloves to Ollie Pope and shifting him down to No. 6.
With no intention of moving Joe Root up a spot from No. 4, it means Bethell, in just his 21st first-class appearance, will slot in at first-drop for the first time in his career. A tough ask for anyone unfamiliar with the role, let alone a 21-year-old without a professional century who averages just 25.44 in re- ball cricket. The majority of his runs for Warwickshire have come in the middle order.
Stokes, carded at seven, revealed the decision on the layout of the top six was made after a "two, three-minute discussion". While the option of leaving Pope at No. 3 if England were batting first, before shifting him down the order for their second innings was considered - a move pulled in the second Test of the 2022 Pakistan tour - it was ultimately decided a set order was necessary for clarity.
"We didn't want to make it too messy," Stokes said. "There was another way of thinking, if we bat first Popey can bat three. But again, it was just too many moving parts.
"We just wanted to keep the simplicity of it where we had the batting order, and everyone knows what they're doing throughout the week. Fair play to Popey for stepping up and doing a role he's done before, but obviously it's something that he's not quite used to.
"Bethell coming in gives him an opportunity up the order, as opposed to just sort of filtering down and not being able to impose himself on the game."
Bethell only joined the squad in New Zealand on Sunday, having had time off following the white-ball tour of the West Indies, thus missing the weekend warm-up match against a Prime Minister's XI. On Tuesday, he was partnered with Stokes on the golf course - a coincidence given pairings are picked at random. Though they were defeated by James Anderson and Zak Crawley, Stokes valued the face time with the precocious youngster. "He's an incredibly talented kid. I think when you look at someone like Jacob, you can just see the ceiling that he has."
Bethell has impressed in flashes, and the selectors were encouraged by his composure in the Caribbean, having been capped in both white-ball formats against Australia at the end of the 2024 summer. On Monday, he bagged a £245,000 contract from Royal Challengers Bangalore for his first IPL. But with just five half-centuries in 30 first-class innings, he remains a work in progress.
Stokes does not regard Bethell as a punt but accepts observers will question his ascension given his modest record so far. Stokes asked for patience, and an understanding that this is more than just a shot in the dark.
"I mean, you can totally understand it," Stokes answered when asked if he could see why there is trepidation about Bethell's spot in the XI. "But you've got to be true to yourself when you get given the opportunity to be able to make decisions.
"We've always done what we feel is right for the team. It's gone in our favour quite a lot. So, I think we do know what we're doing. There is thought and there is process towards it, even if it does raise a few eyebrows. We're not picking people just to wind people up.
"People might not quite understand it, but that's how me and Baz have operated for a long period of time now. And we've got a pretty good understanding, and I feel insight and a good eye for picking players to fulfill a role if we need to.
"He's an incredibly talented kid. I think when you look at someone like Jacob, you can just see the ceiling that he has. I remember watching the one-day series. I think it was [Josh] Hazlewood; he bowled him a full ball and got smacked off the front foot, and then he got tested out, like right there, and then whacked it.
"Just those tiny little things where you see that there is something very special there. I'm looking forward to him getting going this week."