IPL: Young gun Jacob Bethell in awe of teammate Virat Kohli’s art of chasing

Remember Jacob Bethell, the 23-year-old with bleach blonde hair, who sent shivers down India’s spine with a 105 off 48 balls during England’s T20 World Cup semi-final? Now in his second season of IPL with Royal Challengers Bangalore, he admits of spending quality time by watching the senior pros upclose and adapting to a high tempo of the game.  

Speaking to the official YouTube channel of his franchise, Bethell said how watching teammate Virat Kohli at work can be a masterclass for any batter aspiring for excellence.  “Watching Virat chase, you understand the art of batting, how to control a chase and stay not out. It’s about shifting gears based on the situation,” said Bethell, being heralded as a future superstar of world cricket.

How has the demanding environment of IPL been treating him so far? The overseas quota of four players in playing XI means Bethell has to be patient in waiting for his place, but he has created an impact with the 33-ball 55 in a recent win over Chennai Super Kings. The champions, in a middle of a strong season so far where they are second in the table, will be taking on Lucknow Super Giants next on Thursday and he wants to leave a bigger footprint in his second season.

“I wanted to be better than last year,’’ says the youngster. ‘’Whether you play a few games or many, it’s about hunger. This is the marquee tournament, if you don’t improve here, when will you?” he says. ‘’When I got to RCB first, I was curious about the experience. Watching Virat, Rajat (Patidar) and speaking to DK (Dinesh Karthik), I realised the game shifts here. It’s played at a high tempo; you have to be aggressive and brave,’’ said Bethell, who has whipped up a strike rate of 171-plus in IPL.

The fans in India, according to him are hands-on and can be extremely demanding. “Walking out with Virat, hearing the crowd, it was loud. You have to stay completely switched on,” remarked Bethell, who had been a Warwickshire man since 2021. “People here love talking about cricket. It’s more hands-on with more information shared. The passion and volume of cricket at a young age is incredible.” 

Asked to share his comments about the coaching group in RCB, Bethell remarked: “Andy (Flower) observes and speaks only when needed; you listen when he does. DK is excellent at spotting things and identifying scoring areas quickly.” 

Flower, a former England coach, underlined Bethell’s potential when he said: “My first sight of Bethell was in the Under-19 World Cup, a very talented batsman with real flair. We targeted him straight away. He’s got a mature cricketing brain and won’t be cowed or bullied by anyone, which is a trait you see in top players.

‘’ One of the key skills at this level is filtering information well, and he does that exceptionally. The IPL and RCB environment will stand him in really good stead, I expect great things from him. He’s ready not just to compete with the best, but to thrive in that company.”

Looking back on his journey so far, Bethell reflected: ‘’I grew up in Barbados, always with a bat and ball. Around 10–12, I started taking it seriously. I moved to England for school, progressed to Warwickshire and signed my first contract in 2021. A stress fracture set me back but I came back strong, earned an England call-up and then arrived in Bengaluru.” 

How does he enjoy the star boy adulation so far? “The limelight is a funny thing, life is still the same but when people want to watch you play, it’s a privilege. I don’t know how many people in India would be calling me starboy. It’s pretty incredible,” he added.