Pietersen urges Bethell to remain in India for IPL despite Cook's criticism

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bethell-jacob/AgfFyxtl/"]Bethell[/a], 22, has not yet featured ‌for Royal Challengers [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/royal-challengers-bengaluru/ObLbexsS/"]Bengaluru[/a] during the current IPL season, prompting [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cook-alastair/jFX9B450/"]Cook[/a] to suggest the ‌batter would be better served returning to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/UJC5mtAU/"]England[/a] to ‌play county cricket for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/warwickshire-birmingham-bears/Qc0KZhPg/"]Warwickshire[/a].[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/pietersen-kevin/AqEBMV4L/"]Pietersen[/a], who has previously played for the Bengaluru ‌franchise, dismissed that view on Thursday, arguing that exposure to ‌the IPL environment remains valuable even without immediate game time.[/p][p][b]"Alastair Cook has absolutely NO IDEA what it's like to be in the IPL, what ‌it's like to always be around the best ⁠players in the world," former ‌England captain Pietersen said in an X post.[/b][/p][p][b]"So his opinion on Jacob ​Bethell doesn't matter at all. Stay in India, Jacob. I know, even though you're not playing, you're learning and ​will be a way better player."[/b][/p][embed guid="04d7ac72-741c-4b10-88b7-1b733e1598c0" url="https://x.com/KP24/status/2047189262479585496" social-type="twitter" /][p]Bethell responded to Cook's comments on Wednesday, defending his decision to stay with Bengaluru and describing ⁠the benefits of being ​available in the tournament.[/p][p][b]"It's something that not many people will understand how cool it is until actually being around a team or the tournament itself when you're here," Bethell told [i]Sky Sports[/i].[/b][/p][p][b]"It just ‌has a completely different feel. It feels like everyone almost ups their game subconsciously without even really knowing because of the calibre of the tournament.[/b][/p][p][b]"I feel like that even happens when you're not on the starting XI or even starting XII as it might be now with the impact player."[/b][/p][embed guid="a697458f-6b1d-4c06-8851-4db9e6c1f68b" url="https://x.com/StickToCricket/status/2047251783337009233" social-type="twitter" /][p]Bethell has emerged as one of England’s brightest young batters and is increasingly viewed as a long-term option in the test top three.[/p][p]His knock of 154 ‌in the final Ashes test in Sydney in January was one ​of the few positives in England’s 4-1 series defeat in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/OxG0JfXg/"]‌Australia[/a] and strengthened his credentials as a player capable of batting early against high-quality bowling attacks.[/p][p][b]"For that top-order batting, the way he played at Sydney, against that attack, in those conditions, I've looked at a player there and I'm certain ⁠this bloke can open. If ⁠he can bat three, ‌he can open," Cook said.[/b][/p]