England’s young all-rounder Jacob Bethell has been officially ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 due to a hamstring injury sustained during the first ODI against India in Nagpur on February 6. Bethell, 21, impressed with a well-crafted 51 runs off 64 balls in that match but experienced discomfort in his upper left leg afterward. Subsequent scans confirmed a tear, sidelining him for an estimated four to six weeks.
England’s captain, Jos Buttler, expressed his disappointment, stating, “I’m pretty sure he’s been ruled out of the Champions Trophy, to be honest. That’s really disappointing for him; obviously, he played nicely the other day and has been one of the really exciting players, so it’s a shame that the injury is going to rule him out.”
In response to Bethell’s unavailability, England has called up explosive batter Tom Banton as his replacement for both the ongoing ODI series against India and the upcoming Champions Trophy, scheduled from February 19 to March 9.
Bethell’s injury adds to England’s challenges, as they have been dealing with a series of setbacks in their recent matches. The team is striving to overcome these obstacles as they prepare for their Champions Trophy opener against Australia on February 22.
