Jacob Bethell has featured in three IPL 2026 matches for RCB so far.
Former England captains, Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen, are at odds over 22-year-old Jacob Bethell's IPL 2026 role with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Last month, Cook argued that Bethell was "sitting on his a***" and wasting crucial development time on the bench while he could be opening for Warwickshire in the County Championship.
Pietersen strongly disagreed, stating that the intense IPL environment and proximity to elite players is crucial for growth, advising Bethell to stay in India regardless of game time while also claiming Cook has "no idea" about modern cricket.
In a recent podcast with The Overlap Cricket, Cook acknowledged the value of learning in a high-quality IPL environment but emphasized that hands-on experience is crucial for development.
Cook noted with irony that since the debate began, Bethell has featured in some matches for RCB after compatriot Phil Salt’s finger injury opened doors for him at the top of the order.
“I just gave my opinion. I can justify that at the time he wasn’t playing, and he didn’t play (much) last year either. So, he had that benefit of doing once or twice. In my opinion, he has done a bit of that. Ironically, since all that came out, he has now played a bit," Cook said.
“I get the other argument of learning, but there’s got to be a stage where you have to play. You can’t just learn from them. I know the IPL is a great tournament, but no one is ever publicly going to say that IPL is not the place to be,” he added.
Responding to Pietersen's comment that he has "no idea" about the IPL, Cook acknowledged he hasn't played in it, but mentioned he hears "undercurrents" about the tournament.
The former left-handed opener suggested no one publicly criticizes the IPL because they don't want to upset stakeholders and lose future lucrative contracts.
“I actually understand both arguments like he has signed the contract, (so) I’m going to honour my contract. Now, I don’t know what the IPL is like quite clearly, but you hear some of the little undercurrents like it’s not quite as good as everyone thinks it is. I’m not slagging off the IPL – no one ever is going to say it’s terrible because they don’t want to upset their bosses, because they want another contract. I actually feel two opinions can be right,” Cook remarked.
Despite limited playtime, Jacob Bethell has indicted that being part of the IPL allows him to experience pressure and learn from world-class players.
Bethell was part of the RCB squad that won its maiden IPL title last year. While the southpaw played a couple of games in 2025, he has appeared in three matches this season so far.