"It’s a bit of a given, isn’t it" - Jacob Bethell looking forward to play alongside Virat Kohli in RCB ahead of IPL 2025

Young England all-rounder Jacob Bethell said he is looking forward to rubbing shoulders with Virat Kohli during his upcoming stint with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2025. The spin-bowling all-rounder expects him to be an upgraded cricketer after his time in the IPL.

Bethell entered the IPL 2025 auction at ₹1.25 crore and the Royal Challengers secured his services for ₹2.60 crore. The 21-year-old announced his arrival during the second T20I of the series against Australia this year, hitting 44 off 24 balls in Cardiff. The youngster also impressed in the limited-overs tour of the West Indies.

When asked who is he looking forward to playing alongside in RCB, Bethell told The Guardian:

"I think it will do a lot for me. It’s a bit of a given, isn’t it!? Virat Kohli. He’s a great of the game - King Kohli. Any kind of young overseas player who has gone over has come back with a wealth of experience."

Kohli is both an IPL and international legend, compiling runs for fun. The 36-year-old has been with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) since the inception of the tournament and is the most-capped player in IPL history with 8,004 runs in 252 matches.

"I’ve always dreamed of playing Test cricket" - Jacob Bethell

Jacob Bethell batting. (Image Credits: Getty)

When asked whether he was nervous batting at No. 3 in Test cricket, the youngster said he was excited by the challenge and keen to play in the format under Brendon McCullum's watch. The Barbados-born cricketer added:

"No. I mean maybe a surprise [on one level], but I would have asked for it, to be honest. I like batting up the order. So yeah, I was really happy that the opportunity arose. It was everything I dreamed of.

"Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve always dreamed of playing Test cricket. I remember watching the 2010-11 Ashes and wanting to be a part of it. Since Baz took over, I’ve watched on TV and thought: ‘How fun does that look?’ and it lived up to the expectation."

England's second Test against New Zealand begins on December 6 in Wellington. They lead the series 1-0 after winning by eight wickets in Christchurch.