Bethel responded with scores of 10 not out and 50 in England’s eight-wicket victory, despite having played only 20 previous first-class matches in his professional career, and never scoring a century in any senior format.
Like Bethel, Cook was also 21 when he scored a century on Test debut against India in March 2006, and missed only one next match due to illness while making a then-record 161 appearances.
However, by the time of his call-up, Cook had completed a successful domestic season in 2005, which included five County Championship centuries and a memorable double century against the touring Australians. And speaking on the eve of the second Test in Wellington, for which he will provide studio analysis for TNT Sports, he warned against expecting too much from Bethel, too soon.
“There’s still a long way to go, but this is an encouraging start,” Cook said. “As a player he is probably a year or two behind in terms of knowing his red-ball game. But all of us who have watched cricket and played cricket have seen something or the other about him.
“It’s always hard to say what it is about some players that makes you think they have a really good chance of getting to the next level. But I saw Jonny Bairstow as a young player for Yorkshire And I saw Jos Buttler bat for Somerset… It’s not easy to put into words, because it’s not about what you see.
“For some, it’s the time he spends at the crease, for some it’s how cleanly he hits the ball. But Bethel is a seriously talented player, and he would look straight at home in international cricket. He plays the situation in front of him, and he’s not afraid of what’s happening.”
This was evident even in the adverse conditions of England’s first innings in Christchurch. After Jack Crawley was out for a duck, Bethel arrived in cloudy, overcast conditions, and made 10 runs from 34 balls before being dismissed by Nathan Smith in the final over before the lunch break.
“I was impressed,” Cook said. “Especially the way he did it in the first innings. His strike-rate in red-ball cricket is actually under 50, so it’s clear he likes to build an innings.” [even though] It was because of his series of shots that he was selected in the white ball team. There’s no doubt there’s a huge amount of development to be done, even if it’s nowhere near the finished article.”
Cook himself was skeptical about Bethell’s selection when addressing his call-up in preparation for the first Test, but acknowledged that the way he had handled such doubts was further evidence of his ability.
“When he was called, there were some questions as to why [you’d pick] A guy who averages 25 and has no centuries, and that puts some pressure on you as a player. To handle it as well as he has, it seems as if he is putting all other things first, rather than scoring the actual amount of runs that may be required. [for selection] In a more traditional way.
“A lot of Test cricket is played in the mind,” Cook said. “You need a good technique, but the power of the mind can overcome a lot. I don’t want to get carried away, but he’s clearly made of the right stuff, and you’re trusting the judgment of the people in that leadership group. Anyone who has played Test cricket would not have taken that risk without thinking that he could cope.”
“I was pleasantly surprised to see how well he performed in that game,” he said. “I don’t think you should ever come across a situation where you’ve got a fourth-choice county keeper [doing the job for England]But, actually, perhaps I have misunderstood that position. He hasn’t really made too many mistakes, if any, in his four Test matches as a keeper.
“So, will this even start to become a viable option in the future? Two weeks ago, the XI that played last week wouldn’t have been on anyone’s team list, but things change very quickly in the game, because it’s a result- Driven business. Pope looked more suited to bat at number five and six, while Bethel had more chances to get through the swinging ball, in that first innings.”
Watch every ball of New Zealand vs England 2nd Test live on Thursday, December 5 at 9.30pm on TNT Sports and Discovery+.
Andrew Miller is the UK editor for ESPNcricinfo. @miller_cricket
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