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Marcus Trescothick has tipped Jacob Bethell to be England’s next “superstar” ahead of the batting all-rounder’s international debut against Australia on Wednesday night.
Barbados-born Bethell has been earmarked as one to watch for quite a while and will offer England a left-handed option in the middle order as well as handy spin bowling in the series-opening T20.
While his career statistics are unremarkable, Bethell has been trending upwards this year and put in several star performances in both the Vitality Blast and The Hundred for Birmingham-based teams.
A standout was a 15-ball fifty in the Blast against Northamptonshire in June and, having worked with Bethell at England’s age-group levels, Trescothick is convinced the 20-year-old has a bright future.
“I see a super talented kid who’s making his way in the game,” said Trescothick, who is overseeing England’s white-ball teams as interim head coach for the rest of this year.
“I’ve coached him a couple of times through the England Under-19s programme, going back a couple of years, and it was really evident to me that he’s going to be a superstar.
“We’ve seen it a little bit in The Hundred. We’ve seen various scores that he’s made, catches that he’s taken and a little bit when he was bowling.
“I think you’re going to enjoy watching him going forward over the next few years.”
Bethell’s inclusion marks the start of England’s limited-overs regeneration at the Utilita Bowl, where ahead of the match 1,000 solar panels will be switched on for the first time as part of an industry-leading project.
With the omissions of Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali, who has since retired from international cricket, Jordan Cox will also make his England bow for the first of three T20s, after which follow five ODIs.
Jamie Overton is set for his maiden England T20 but as a batter only as his ongoing recovery from a back problem inhibits his bowling, while paceman Saqib Mahmood will make his first international appearance in 18 months after his own injury troubles.
Cox will bat at three, below stand-in captain and wicketkeeper Phil Salt, deputising for Jos Buttler, and Will Jacks, who is one of seven players in England’s T20 World Cup squad to be retained in the XI.
Their semi-final exit in the Caribbean led to Matthew Mott’s sacking as white-ball head coach, with Brendon McCullum set to assume control of England in all three formats from the start of next year.
Until then, Trescothick is in caretaker charge of the T20 and ODI sides but he is singing from the same hymn sheet as McCullum, having worked under the New Zealander as he transformed their Test fortunes.
“We’re trying to bring a lot of what we bring within the Test matches, the same messaging, the same language we’re trying to use and the same approach,” former England opener Trescothick said.
“You’ve seen Brendon’s style. It’ll be a similar approach to what’s happened there. It’s a great opportunity just to set a few standards of what (McCullum’s leadership) is going to be like.
“I’ll promote the same ethos of the style of play because I already know what is coming from Brendon and beyond there.”
While describing himself as “very pleased” with McCullum’s appointment, Trescothick admitted he would have thought about applying to be Mott’s successor had he been approached.
“If I would’ve been asked to, I would’ve seriously considered that,” he said. “But I kind of always knew that what was happening.”
In announcing McCullum’s appointment, managing director of men’s cricket Rob Key believes the former New Zealand captain will be aided by England’s congested fixture schedule easing in 2025 and beyond.
However, there still may be instances where McCullum takes a break from overseeing a bilateral white-ball series, and Trescothick would be eager to fill in if the opportunity arises.
“Gaining the experience now and working hopefully in the future and doing it a bit more really does excite me,” Trescothick added.
