Jacob Bethel to open the batting in the first ODI against India at Edgbaston Named the host team ahead of the series opener | cricket news

Jacob Bethel will open the batting for England in the first ODI against India at Edgbaston on Tuesday.

Bethel will partner Ben Duckett at the top of the order, who along with Joe Root are the only two new faces in the team Saturday secured a 4-0 T20I series win against the same opposition.

Root replaces Duckett and Tom Banton for Phil Salt. The bowling attack again includes Jofra Archer and Josh Tongue as pace-bowling options, with three spinners in Adil Rashid, Liam Dawson and Will Jacks, who plays the all-rounder role alongside left-arm pacer Sam Curran.

With Jos Buttler set to play his 200th ODI for England in the series opener, Harry Brook will once again captain the side.

England vs India, 1st ODI: Jacob Bethell, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook (c), Jos Buttler (wkt), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson, Josh Tongue, Adil Rashid.

Bethel’s opportunity at the top ‘That’s where he wants to bat’

Speaking last Sky Sports Cricket PodcastDinesh Karthik – Bethel’s coaching set-up with Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL – backed his move in the opener.

“Bethel really wants to be at the top of the innings,” Karthik said. He prefers opening in white ball cricket.

“We’ll see him open in the ODIs and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him open in the hundred. That’s where he likes to bat.

“It’s something he’s not foreign to, it’s something he wants to embrace, so here’s his opportunity. He’s a good player and I see him having a good time at the top.”

While England’s 4-0 series win in the T20I took them to the top of the world rankings in that format, they are currently ranked eighth in ODIs, below Afghanistan – and tied with India.

On why England struggle to replicate their T20 form in 50-over cricket, Karthik said: “I think it’s about focus and concentration.

“You have 30 overs of dead time between 11 and 40 overs where all you want to do is rotate the strike and hit the odd boundary – and I don’t think T20 players are able to cope with that sometimes.

“It can be mentally challenging when you’re just taking singles. In T20 cricket they’re looking to hit one boundary per ball and now, suddenly, they have to drop down two or three gears and say ‘no, don’t need a boundary, let me just bowl it’.

“Also, the earlier start in the day meant that the pitches could have some life and the players had to deal with the moving ball – this was a challenge even for many top-order T20 players.”

McCullum ‘sorry’ after Test dismissal but committed to white-ball job

Brendon McCullum will be named the first in charge of the white-ball only team after being sacked as head coach for Tuesday’s ODI Test between England and India.

New Zealand has reiterated its commitment to silverware in the shorter format as the 50-over World Cup looms in 2027.

“I was disappointed initially but at the same time, it’s a results business,” McCallum said Sky Sports News.

“We didn’t get the results we wanted, and I’ll wear it. Basically, it was a tap on the shoulder and you crack.

“I have loved my time with the Test team over the last four years – it has been one of my most enjoyable times in 20-odd years on the cricket circuit.

“I’m disappointed for all the fans that we didn’t get the result we all wanted, and I’m sorry for that.

“But at the same time I’ve got a lot of enthusiasm and energy for white-ball work and where we want to go, to win trophies.”

England vs India Result and Game Play

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