Sydney: England's preparations for their white-ball tour of Australia hit a roadblock as Jacob Bethell, who was set to make a comeback, has been ruled out due to an injury. Bethell, who was included in both the ODI and T20I squads, will return to the UK for treatment after a scan revealed issues with his right knee. This development comes as a significant setback for England, which is already dealing with the absence of pacer Josh Tongue due to injury.

According to International Cricket Council, Bethell was expected to return to competitive cricket after his hiatus since July 2026. Despite being part of the Test squad for the upcoming ICC World Test Championship 2025/27 series against South Africa, the decision to prioritize his recovery was made with the upcoming busy winter schedule in mind. As a result, replacements James Coles and Eddie Jack have been called into the ODI squad and are set to join the team in Perth.

The England squad, led by Harry Brook, is preparing for an intense series against Australia, with the ODI matches scheduled to begin on November 13 in Perth. The T20I series is set to follow, starting on November 21 in Melbourne.