Michael Vaughan has urged England batter Jacob Bethell to return home immediately after suffering a finger injury while playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League.
Bethell missed RCB's defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday, with captain Rajat Patidar confirming the injury. RCB have not disclosed further details, but Vaughan believes Bethell should prioritise his fitness ahead of England's first Test against New Zealand, starting in less than two weeks.
Bethell is set to bat at number three for England after scoring a century in the final Ashes Test in January. However, his IPL commitments mean he will already miss next week's training camp in Loughborough. Vaughan told Cricbuzz: "If Jacob Bethell's injured he should be on the next plane home to England."
The 22-year-old has played seven of RCB's 14 games this season, with a top score of 27. He is not guaranteed a spot in the play-offs, with Virat Kohli, Venkatesh Iyer, and Phil Salt all available. Vaughan added: "If he's not going to play for Royal Challengers, then England have a training camp next week."
Jofra Archer will also miss the Lord's Test due to his IPL stint with Rajasthan Royals, targeting the second Test instead.
