England all-rounder Jacob Bethell believes that he has a long way to go before he can cement the No.3 spot in the batting order in Tests. This comes after he made his return to red-ball cricket for the Three Lions against Australia in the Melbourne Test. Despite being sent out to bat at No.3, Bethell showed immense maturity and played a crucial knock of 40 to massively help the side in reaching the 175-run target on Day 2.
Monumental win for England
This victory saw England end an 18-match winless run in Australia and record their first Test victory in the country since 2011. Bethell, who wasn't given an opportunity in the first three Tests, made the most out of the opportunity at the MCG and even proved to be the team's highest-scorer in the second innings.
Reflecting on batting in the top-order, Bethell remarked that the role suits his skill set, but added that he will have to do a lot more in order to become England's regular No.3 in red-ball cricket.
"I like three. You come in when the ball is new and in some scenarios the ball is going all over the shop, but in other scenarios it presents opportunities to score when bowlers are trying to take wickets and the field is attacking—there's loads of gaps. I've still got a lot more to do to call it my position," Bethell said as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
Bethell's Test career so far
Bethell is still very new to Test cricket and has pl;ayed just five matches in the format so far. He had made his debut in England's tour of New Zealand earlier this year and had impressed quite a lot. The left-hand batter had registered three half-centuries and was even quite close to score his first-ever hundred, but missed the mark and got dismissed for 96. It remains to be seen if the 22-year-old will be able to keep up his form in the final Test of the Ashes.
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Meanwhile, the Ashes currently stands at 3-1 with Australia having already taken an unassailable lead. While England have already lost the series, they will be aiming to end the assignment on a high and come out victorious in the fifth Test that will be held in Sydney from January 4.