England all-rounder Jacob Bethell overwhelmed by RCB fans in India
What's the story
Jacob Bethell, the 21-year-old English all-rounder, has thanked the Indian cricket fans for their overwhelming support.
Bethell was recently signed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the IPL 2025 mega auction for ₹2.60 crore.
Currently touring India for T20I and ODI series, Bethell opened up about being cheered on enthusiastically by RCB fans at various venues across the country.
Anticipation
Bethell shares excitement about upcoming IPL season
Bethell is excited to share the dressing room with a few international cricket stars in the next IPL season, including Virat Kohli.
He spoke about RCB, saying "RCB is a great franchise, and I've felt the love over here. Every ground I've been to, as soon as I walk onto the pitch, they start chanting: RCB, RCB."
Performance
Bethell's performance and future prospects in India
Despite a slow start to his India tour, Bethell showed his all-round skills in the first ODI by scoring 51 runs off 64 balls and taking the crucial wicket of Shreyas Iyer.
"I see myself as a genuine all-rounder. Whenever I get the chance to bowl and state my claim, and put us in a good position, I will," he said.
His performance has set high expectations for his future contributions in the ongoing series.
Meeting
Bethell's encounter with Kohli and his aggressive nature
Bethell had his maiden run-in with Indian cricket legend Virat Kohli during the ODI series in Nagpur.
He appreciated the opportunity to share the field with such legends and highlighted their common humanity on the field.
In this series, he showed his aggressive side and ability to deliver under pressure, especially in a game where he hit a six off Hardik Pandya's delivery.