IPL 2026: Will Jacob Bethell open for RCB after success in T20 World Cup 2026?
(Courtesy : BCCI/IPL)
Jacob Bethell scored a magnificent century against India in the semi-final.
Although Jacob Bethell could not lead England to the final of the T20 World Cup 2026, he rocked the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai with his impeccable century against India in the semi-final.
In the gigantic 254-run chase, the left-handed batsman slammed 105 runs off 48 deliveries, hitting eight boundaries and 7 sixes. Bethell lost his wicket through a run-out in the final over, and England remained short of victory by just 7 runs.
He earned a lot of appreciation following his magnificent batting show in the crucial clash against the Men in Blue. Moreover, the 22-year-old also performed well in the T20 World Cup, scoring 280 runs in eight matches at an average of 35.0 and a strike rate of 152+.
His brilliant show has brought him into the limelight for the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL 2026), scheduled to start later this month.
Notably, Bethell is part of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in IPL 2026. The franchise has retained him for INR 2.60 crore for the upcoming season. The England batter also played for the team in the previous edition, where his side won the title.
However, he left the team ahead of the playoffs due to international commitments. The franchise roped in Tim Seifert for INR 2 crore as his replacement.
Will Jacob Bethel open for RCB in IPL 2026?
RCB won the title in the previous edition and have a big challenge to defend it in IPL 2026. In the last season, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli opened the batting for the team, providing blistering starts in many games and playing a pivotal role in the team’s journey to the trophy.
However, England opener Salt completely failed to make a mark in the T20 World Cup. At a poor average of 16.25, he scored 130 runs in eight games. He smashed one half-century in the tournament but got out for single digits in multiple games.
Therefore, RCB might shuffle their opening slot amid Salt’s poor batting form and appoint Bethell as an opener.
Moreover, the Bethell and Kohli pair will provide them with a lefty-righty combination at the opening slot. Unlike Salt, who is a right-hander, Bethell is a left-handed batsman.
This will enable the defending champions to trouble opposition bowlers and exploit fielding in the powerplay overs. Hence, Bethell can strengthen RCB’s top order if he is chosen as an opener alongside Kohli.
Which team will Jacob Bethell play for in IPL 2026
Bethell will represent the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League 2026.
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Vikas Singh Derek is a core cricket-lover since childhood and has always followed the sport both in his personal and professional life. He started his school life by watching cricket at home with family. Later, he played cricket on the field at local clubs during college. After his Master's in Journalism from Mumbai, he followed his passion by covering cricket news across various digital media. Since 2015, he has been an aspiring sports journalist and cricket content writer with over 50K+ articles.