Jacob Bethell Controversy Takes New Turn as Alastair Cook Meets Karthik and Mo Bobat

A few months back, a huge controversy took place surrounding Jacob Bethell. He was a part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru as a secondary opener, who would play in place of Phil Salt. But when he didn't play various games for the team, Alastair Cook said in a podcast that he was just warming the bench and should play in the County Championship.

Recently, Sir Alastair Cook got to have a podcast with Mo Bobat and Dinesh Karthik. This podcast was intense, as were the discussions surrounding Jacob Bethell. Dinesh Karthik said that Bethell himself chose to be a part of RCB, and it doesn't mean that if he is not playing he decides to go back home, as he has signed a contract.

With Karthik making a valid point in his discussion, Cook decided to join the same. He said, “What I’m saying is, I think this is where it’s really important. I think it’s really important that English cricket (for me) is more important than the IPL or any franchise. That’s what I think, and apparently, I’m not allowed to think it because the IPL is the best tournament in the world.”

Our Take

Both parties did make some valid points in the recent podcast. While Alastair Cook emphasised on the importance of the national team, Dinesh Karthik talked about how a contract works in the game. And the major coincidence in this scene was the fact that Bethell played immediately after Cook made a statement during the IPL.