Bethell's Ambition to Bat at Number Three and How IPL Enhanced His Skills

England's Jacob Bethell has expressed his desire to bat at the number three position, citing his suitability for top-order batting. In an interview with Sky Sports' Nasser Hussain, Bethell discussed his experience in the IPL and how it helped him become a better player. He believes that his time in the IPL, although limited to two games, provided him with invaluable learnings. Bethell is set to return to the number three spot for England in the upcoming Ashes Test in Sydney, after being promoted and then demoted in the previous Test. He faces criticism from former England batter Mark Ramprakash, who thinks he should bat lower down the order. However, Bethell is confident in his ability to perform at the top, saying 'I want to be a top-order batter throughout my career and if I want to do it at some stage then why not now?' He also feels that his experience in the IPL has prepared him for high-pressure situations, such as playing in front of large crowds. Bethell has vowed to learn from his past experiences and is looking to play more regular cricket in the future, regardless of the format. He emphasized the importance of playing games to stay in top form, saying 'batting in matches is massive. You will never get the replication of that in the nets, there is not pressure there like there is in a game.'