Bethell worried about Bajan homecoming

Jacob Bethell is looking forward to his much-anticipated return to Barbados with the England squad for their Caribbean tour in November. Yet, one thought weighs heavily on his mind – how the West Indian fans will receive him. The 21-year-old all-rounder, who recently made his T20I and One-Day International debuts against Australia, is preparing to face not only fierce competition, but also the passionate supporters at Kensington Oval, a venue that holds deep personal significance for the Barbadian-born player.

“That’s where my heritage is so all my friends have already bought tickets,” Bethell said at the Cinch PCA Awards, where he was a finalist for the Young Player Of The Year award. “They’ll be in the stands waiting for me when I get there. But I’m slightly worried about how the West Indian fans are going to accept me.”

Having relocated to the United Kingdom at the age of 12, Bethell now represents England, and he is no stranger to fervent cricket crowds. However, he is well aware of the fervour with which Caribbean fans embrace the game, especially when it comes to players with roots in the region representing other nations.

“I’m hoping I don’t get booed too much,” he said with a laugh, alluding to the tough reception Australian Steve Smith has faced from West Indian crowds. “I’ve seen Steve Smith in his last few games, and every time he walks out to bat, it’s like the end of the world. I’m hoping that’s not the case for me in the West Indies!”

Despite his concerns, Bethell remains confident in the support he expects from the island where he spent his formative years.

“I’m only saying that as a joke. There’s a whole lot of support coming around, so I can’t imagine it’s going to be anything but that,” he added, referring to the backing from family, friends, and those familiar with his journey.

As Bethell prepares for his homecoming, he is also focused on delivering strong performances that will cement his place in England’s white-ball squad. His early international outings have been a mixed experience, with a notable 44 off 24 balls in Cardiff, which included taking 20 runs off four deliveries from Adam Zampa, helping to level the T20I series. However, his ODI performances have been more subdued, with 85 runs and four wickets across five matches.

While his immediate future lies in white-ball cricket, Bethell’s ambitions extend to all formats.

“It’s nice to tick off two of them, but definitely the best one is yet to come – hopefully,” he said. “Test cricket has always been my dream. I know it’s taken a different shape in the last three years, but definitely, that’s still my dream: to play Test cricket for England.”

Bethell continues to refine his game, particularly in red-ball cricket.

“At the minute, I’m still very adaptable in red-ball. I haven’t really found a place where I’ve gone, ‘Right, this feels like home’ in terms of a place in the batting order’, but I think that could be anywhere from opening the batting to No. 7 – especially with bowling off spin. I’m hoping that I can get into a team being a genuine allrounder.”

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