ISLAMABAD
\nEngland\u2019s preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 have also been hit by an injury bug, with rising all-rounder Jacob Bethell ruled out of his first international tournament due to a hamstring injury. The 21-year-old sustained the ailment during his side\u2019s ongoing ODI series against India.
\nBethell, who made his ODI debut in September, suffered the injury in Nagpur during the first ODI. Before being sidelined, the 21-year-old impressed with a 51-run knock and the key wicket of Shreyas Iyer, showcasing his potential as an all-rounder. England promptly replaced him in the ongoing series with Tom Banton, but Bethell\u2019s absence for the Champions Trophy is a significant loss.
\nSpeaking after England\u2019s defeat to India, captain Jos Buttler hinted that Jacob Bethell\u2019s tournament hopes were over, saying:
\n\u201cI\u2019m pretty sure he\u2019s been ruled out of the Champions Trophy. It\u2019s really disappointing for him\u2014he played nicely the other day and has been one of our most exciting young players.\u201d
\nEngland has yet to officially confirm Bethell\u2019s exclusion from the squad, but with the February 12 squad deadline approaching, his replacement may be named soon.
\nJacob Bethell\u2019s injury is just one of several issues plaguing England ahead of the February 22 tournament opener against Australia. Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith remains doubtful with a calf injury, having not played a match in the India series so far. The situation became so dire that assistant coaches Marcus Trescothick and Paul Collingwood were used as substitute fielders during the most recent ODI in Cuttack.
\nWith Jacob Bethell sidelined and Smith struggling, England\u2019s depth is being tested. While Banton has been drafted in, the 26-year-old hasn\u2019t played an international match since 2022, raising concerns about his match readiness.
\nEngland\u2019s Champions Trophy campaign will see them face Australia on February 22, followed by clashes with Afghanistan on February 26 and South Africa on March 1. With squad uncertainty looming, Jos Buttler\u2019s men must find swift solutions before heading to Pakistan for the high-stakes tournament.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD England\u2019s preparations for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 have also been hit by an injury bug, with rising all-rounder Jacob Bethell ruled out of his first international tournament due to a hamstring injury. The 21-year-old sustained the ailment during his side\u2019s ongoing ODI series against India. Bethell, who made his ODI debut in September, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":460868,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-460850","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n