Jacob Bethell gives England ‘headache’, says Brendon McCullum

Jacob Bethell has given England a selection decision to make, says head coach Brendon McCullum.

The 21-year-old played in his maiden Test series in New Zealand, effectively standing in for wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, who has been on paternity leave.

Bethell made three half-centuries, including top-scoring for England with 76 on the fourth and final day of their massive 423-run defeat in the third Test in Hamilton.

“It’s a good headache to have,” McCullum told BBC Sport. “That’s what you want. You want that conversation, you don’t want to be scrambling around looking for talent.

“We’ve got a couple of months to work out what we’re doing.”

The place of Smith, England’s first-choice keeper, was due to go to Jordan Cox for the New Zealand series, only for Cox to break his thumb in the days leading up to the first Test.

England reshuffled their side, handing the gloves to Ollie Pope, who slid to number six in the batting order. Bethell went to number three, despite never previously batting higher than number four in his first-class career and not owning a century in professional cricket.

He took the chance with an unbeaten 50 in the first-Test win in Christchurch and followed with 96 in the victory in Wellington. Along with his knock in Hamilton, all three scores of 50 or more have come in the second innings.

Bethell has become only the second England batter, after Sir Alastair Cook, to reach 50 three times in the same series before the age of 22.

Captain Ben Stokes had previously said he expects England to revert to the original line-up when Smith is available, with keeper Smith slotting into the middle-order and Pope back at three.

But McCullum has now hinted Bethell could force England to review their options, much like they did after the series defeat in India earlier this year. Their next Test is against Zimbabwe in May.