England's batting flops are given another chance as Brendon McCullum names an unchanged team with Jacob Bethell sidelined for third T20 vs India
England's batting flops are given another chance as Brendon McCullum names an unchanged team with Jacob Bethell sidelined for third T20 vs India
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England’s misfiring batsmen were given a vote of confidence on the eve of Tuesday’s pivotal Twenty20 in India when the chance to recall Jacob Bethell was neglected in favour of naming an unchanged team. The lack of support to Jos Buttler from the rest of the top seven has been striking so far. Newly appointed vice-captain Harry Brook has fallen to leg-spinner Varun Chakravarthy twice for 30 runs, while Phil Salt, Ben Duckett, Liam Livingstone and Jamie Overton have mustered a sorry 31 between them in eight visits to the crease.
![[Jos Buttler (left) has looked in decent touch but had little support from the rest of the line-up]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/27/22/94577447-14331289-image-a-19_1738018147166.jpg)
With 21-year-old Bethell, one of the success stories of England’s winter, back in training following illness, there was an option to make a change to a batting unit that struggled in back-to-back losses that left England arriving in Rajkot knowing they have to stop the rot to avoid a rapid defeat in the five-match series.
![[England had the chance to turn to talented Jacob Bethell but have left the 21-year-old out]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/27/22/94577509-14331289-image-a-20_1738018152109.jpg)
And it was here at the Niranjan Shah Stadium last year that India sealed their biggest Test win by runs — a whopping 434 of them. The home team took 13 of their 20 wickets with spin in that match and used five spinners during Saturday’s two-wicket win in Chennai.
In contrast, the focus of England’s bowling attack has been express speed, with Brendon McCullum saying at the beginning of his tenure as multi-format coach last week that there would be no ‘cotton-wool treatment’ for anyone despite it being an Ashes year. So, Mark Wood makes a third straight appearance since returning from an elbow issue, alongside fellow speedster Jofra Archer.
