Jacob Bethell ruled out of England's Australia white-ball tour and doubtful for South Africa Tests
Jacob Bethell has been ruled out of England's white-ball tour of Australia and is a huge doubt for the Test tour of South Africa after a recurrence of a knee injury ahead of the one-day series in Perth that begins on Friday.
Bethell, 23, has played 69 times for England since making his international debut in September 2024 and has not featured since July when he suffered discomfort in his right knee while making 91 in a one-day international against India at Lord's; he underwent surgery in September and travelled to Australia with the squad expecting to return to action.
The Warwickshire all-rounder did not take part in the warm-up match against Western Australia at the weekend and suffered what England described as a "setback" in training earlier this week; he underwent a scan and is set to return home to see a specialist. Bethell has also been ruled out of The Hundred with the knee injury.
England have called up Sussex all-rounder James Coles as cover in Australia, and uncapped seamer Eddie Jack has been added to the one-day squad as a replacement for Josh Tongue, who had previously been ruled out with a toe injury.
Bethell was named in the squad for the three Tests in South Africa on Monday. His 154 in the final Test against Australia in January was noted in the report as one of the few highlights of England's Ashes tour, and his continued absence leaves selection questions for the South Africa series.
Selector Marcus North admitted at the time he did not know who would make way from the team that beat Pakistan 3-0 during the home summer to accommodate Bethell's return; opener Emilio Gay and Jordan Cox, who came into the England Test side that summer, were both mentioned as players who could benefit if Bethell is unavailable. Ollie Pope was recalled to the Test squad in the summer as the spare batter in Bethell's absence, and Pope is due to be with England Lions in South Africa on a tour that overlaps the Test series; James Rew has one Test cap and uncapped Durham opener Ben McKinney have also been cited as other options following strong form on England Lions' white-ball tour of the West Indies.
Speaking before the first one-day in Australia, Test captain Joe Root told BBC Sport: "It's disappointing for Jacob. I don't know much more. I know how hard he works and everything he's done to get himself right. "Hopefully it's not too serious and he's not out for too long."
England's immediate schedule sees them play three one-day internationals in Australia, followed by five T20s in Australia, before the Test series in South Africa begins on 17 December.