Jacob Bethell: Is England return for Australia ODIs likely to happen or will Tom Banton keep opener's spot?

England have a top-order dilemma. Albeit, one of the ‘good problem to have’ variety.

Though still ranked a lowly eighth in the world in the 50-over format, and with the 2027 Cricket World Cup in Africa less than a year away, England’s ODI cricket has largely been trending in the right direction this year until their tri-series troubles in Pakistan in October.

The team appears to be a settled one as they steel themselves for a three-match series against Australia – with five T20s to follow – but for the decision as to who opens the batting come the opening match in Perth on Friday.

Will it continue to be Ben Duckett and Tom Banton? Or will the fit-again Jacob Bethell come straight back into the side?

Do England stick with status quo?

Bethell has long been earmarked as England’s future, with a magnificent maiden hundred in an ODI win over South Africa to close the 2025 summer swiftly followed by further tons in the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney and the 2026 T20 World Cup semi-final against India.

England moved him up to open for the ODI series against India in the summer, which he then capped with a fine 91 off 93 balls as part of a magnificent 192-run opening stand with Duckett that helped the hosts clinch the series.

England’s top two locked in foreseeable. Or perhaps not…

A knee injury has sidelined Bethell since, granting Banton an opportunity, which he has seized with both hands.

The 27-year-old has averaged 56.28 in his seven innings since as opener, cracking four fifties and a magnificent 126 off 105 balls against Sri Lanka at The Oval.

He and Duckett are averaging 71 together as a partnership, with the latter signing off the tri-series with back-to-back hundreds, making that three in his last eight ODIs.

As such, there’s absolutely no chance of Duckett being dropped. But what about Banton?

It might well be the case that he’s afforded another go and Bethell doesn’t come straight back in. He didn’t play in the warm-up match against Western Australia at the weekend, if that is any indication, with Duckett (59) and Banton (14) once more leading the side out.

Who else could Bethell return for?

While Bethell might not dislodge Banton at the top of the order, that doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t feature in Australia.

Jos Buttler is sitting out the tour with a hamstring injury, with Jordan Cox – whose talents England appear desperate to find a more regular space in the side for – currently slated to earn that middle-order berth and don the gloves.

However, Cox didn’t hugely grasp his opportunity in Pakistan, returning a top score of 43 from four matches – albeit he wasn’t required with the bat in one of them.

The selectors could choose to drop Cox, make Banton keep wicket and bring Bethell back in this way, especially seeing as he would provide a helpful left-handed option in among the run of righties from Joe Root down.

Sam Curran, at No 6 or 7, is currently the only exception, so the addition of Bethell would allow for greater flexibility in the batting lineup as well as give opposing captain Mitch Marsh one or two more headaches in terms of managing his field placings.

It would also allow England to kick the Banton/Bethell dilemma down the road until Buttler’s return, granting both the opportunity to further stake their claim for a permanent place in the side.

The issue is that Cox’s absence would force Banton to keep, which though he’s an able understudy, and is certainly an option behind the stumps in the shorter T20 format, it would be a touch unfamiliar and unfair solution across 50 overs – particularly in addition to him opening.

What about Bethell as an extra spinner?

This is the least likely option of all routes back in, but Bethell first earned a spot in the ODI side at No 7 and providing an extra left-arm spin option – so could that be the answer?

England were content to play just two spinners in Pakistan, with Adil Rashid a surprise omission for much of the tri-series as Liam Dawson and Will Jacks were preferred.

If that’s the approach in the sub-continent, then it’s very unlikely they’d tweak things for Australia of all places, nor for next year’s World Cup which is being held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia.

BUT, the form and fitness of Curran is a bit of a concern, as having missed the back-end of the summer with a groin injury that required surgery, he was far from his best in Pakistan where he was underused and expensive when he was.

He claimed four wickets at 54.75 in the four matches, bowling only five overs in the first and conceding an England ODI-record 103 from nine overs as Sri Lanka chased down a staggering 430 in Rawalpindi, before being largely anonymous the rest of the series.

Might Curran benefit from a spell out of the side to build back up to his best? If so, Bethell could stand to benefit – albeit the 23-year-old’s immense batting talents would be wasted that low down the order.

Though England could surely cope with Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson and Jamie Overton as the lone pace options in the absence of Curran, it’s more likely that the tourists would only go down this route if looking to get Rashid back into the team, in addition to Dawson and Jacks.

In that scenario, everyone would bump one up the order, leaving Overton to do a job at No 7, and Bethell again warming the bench.

England will no doubt be thrilled to have their golden boy back in their midst, but that does appear to be Bethell’s most likely destination in Australia: the bench. At least for now.

Schedule for England’s tour of Australia

ODIs 3.30am UK time, with T20s 8.15am UK time

First ODI: Friday, November 13 (Perth)
Second ODI: Sunday November 15 (Adelaide)
Third ODI: Wednesday November 18 (Hobart)
First T20I: Saturday November 21 (Melbourne)
Second T20I: Tuesday November 24 (Carrara)
Third T20I: Friday November 27 (Brisbane)
Fourth T20I: Sunday November 29 (Sydney)
Fifth T20I: Wednesday December 2 (Canberra)

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