Jacob Bethell ruled out of England’s white-ball tour of Australia with knee injury

England batter Jacob Bethell has been ruled out of the upcoming white-ball tour of Australia after a scan of his right knee revealed an issue, dealing another setback to his return to competitive cricket following an injury during the home summer, according to the ICC website.

Bethell had been named in both England’s ODI and T20I squads for the Australia tour and was set to make his first competitive appearance since July 2026. However, following an assessment of his right knee, it was decided that the 22-year-old would return to the United Kingdom on Saturday to consult a specialist.

Bethell is also part of England’s squad for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 series against South Africa. This is the second injury setback for England since their arrival in Australia, with fast bowler Josh Tongue having also been ruled out of the tour earlier.

James Coles and Eddie Jack have been called up to the ODI squad as replacements for Bethell and Tongue. Both players are expected to arrive in Perth on Thursday. England will begin their white-ball campaign against Australia with a three-match ODI series, starting in Perth on November 13.

The second ODI will be played in Adelaide on November 15, followed by the third match in Hobart on November 18. The two teams will then face each other in a five-match T20I series, beginning in Melbourne on November 21. The remaining matches will be played in Carrara on November 24, Brisbane on November 27, Sydney on November 29, and Canberra on December 2.