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Former English skipper Michael Vaughan has voiced his criticism of England's selection for the final Test at the Oval, specifically highlighting the inclusion of Jacob Bethell. Vaughan questioned the decision to bring Bethell into the squad with very little red-ball cricket under his belt this summer. Bethell was one of four changes to England's playing XI and was tasked with being the sole spinner for the fifth Test against India at The Oval.
Michael Vaughan on Jacob Bethell's selection for 5th Test against England
The 21-year-old all-rounder's performance in the first innings was limited, as he bowled only two overs and scored six runs with the bat. While Bethell had impressed during England's tour of New Zealand last year, his preparation for this Test was minimal, having played just one first-class match this summer. This lack of game time is a result of him primarily playing in the white-ball format for England this year.
Speaking to the BBC, Vaughan praised the team's performance on the second day but reiterated his displeasure with the overall team selection. He expressed concern that too many players with minimal recent experience in the red-ball format were brought into the side for such a crucial match.
"It has been an epic. It really has been a brilliant series, and I think this England side, on this kind of pitch, I like the way that they played today. The only thing I say is in terms of their selection, they have picked players who have been playing no cricket. And to throw them into this hotbed of international cricket in front of this amount of people, with so many more watching, not just here but on TV screens around the world, it isn't an easy game," Vaughan said.
Vaughan expressed his disbelief at England's decision to select Jacob Bethell for the final match of the series, describing it as 'extraordinary'. He believes that by throwing the young player into such a high-pressure situation with minimal preparation, the team is not giving him the best opportunity to succeed at the Test level. Bethell was one of four changes made for the match, with Josh Tongue, Gus Atkinson, and Jamie Overton also coming into the side.
"If it was that easy, anyone could play Test match cricket. If you're throwing a 21-year-old into this situation on the back of one first-class match in our summer, I find that absolutely extraordinary. I don't think you're giving a kid the best chance of succeeding at this level," Vaughan added.
Talking about the match, after being bowled out for 224 in their first essay, India bundled out England for 247. Shubman Gill's brigade were placed at 105/2 as of 26 overs with Yashasvi Jaiswal (64*) and Akash Deep (21*) intact on the crease.
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