Ahead of the RCB’s IPL 2026 match against the Gujarat Titans (GT), former India player turned commentator Aakash Chopra has said that England legend Sir Alastair Cook has asked Jacob Bethell to return home and play county cricket as well. He also wondered whether Jacob should even consider returning.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra,’ he said, “Alastair Cook does not like it at all that Jacob Bethell is sitting outside. He is saying Bethell should be called back. He said that he should play county cricket, wear white clothes, and lead his team. Can Jacob Bethell play? Should he even think about returning?”

“It’s right that he has been sitting outside, but when you sign for a franchise, you don’t sign for playing all matches, and that you would leave if you are not played all matches. So Alastair Cook will have to contemplate and reflect a little that if overseas players say the same thing in The Hundred, as you have a quota of overseas players that can play, how will you feel if your franchise is getting affected?” he added.

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However, Aakash Chopra also wondered whether RCB could play Jacob Duffy and Josh Hazlewood together in their IPL 2026 clash against the Gujarat Titans as well.

“Can Jacob Duffy and Hazlewood play together? They can definitely play while batting first, because what is Romario Shepherd’s job if you get to bat first? Make him sit out and don’t play him the game, and bring in Jaocb Duffy in the second innings, in case you haven’t used Romario Shepherd, which is not happening with the bat mostly,” he said.

“The way he is bowling, they are unable to bowl him one over. They bowled him one over last time. He bowled full tosses in the last over, and the match was over as David Miller spoiled the job by hitting him all over the place. If we look at it from that perspective, that could be a thought process for sure,” Aakash Chopra concluded.