RCB superstar opener declared fit to feature for England in 1st test vs New Zealand

England cricket team">England cricket team">England cricket team">England head coach Brendon McCullum has confirmed that Jacob Bethell is fully fit and available for selection for the first Test against New Zealand, which begins at Lord's on Thursday.

Bethell recently left Royal Challengers Bengaluru's IPL 2026 campaign earlier than expected to undergo medical assessments with England's medical team ahead of the home Test series.

Speaking on Tuesday, McCullum provided a positive update on the young all-rounder, saying Bethell showed no signs of discomfort during training and should be ready to contribute with both bat and ball.

“He was operating at gully in our training yesterday and he is absolutely fine, so there are no problems there. He should be able to bowl as well, which is quite handy for us to have another bowling option in the top order," said McCullum.

Having Bethell available gives England an extra bowling option and adds depth to the side ahead of an important Test summer.

Bethell struggled to make an impact in IPL 2026

Jacob Bethell found opportunities hard to come by with the bat during IPL 2026. After initially being part of RCB's plans, he got a chance to open the innings alonside Virat Kohli after Phil Salt's injury.

Although he showed glimpses of promise and managed a few decent starts, Bethell was unable to make any massive impact. The left-handed batter scored 96 runs in seven innings at an average of 13.71 and a strike rate of 124.68.

His highest score of the season was 27 from 27 balls, which came during a league-stage match against Mumbai Indians.

Despite a difficult IPL campaign, England will be encouraged by his fitness ahead of the New Zealand series, where he could have an important role to play.