'Take the next plane': Michael Vaughan asks Jacob Bethell to leave IPL before playoffs

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has urged young all-rounder Jacob Bethell to return home from the Indian Premier League 2026 amid injury concerns and uncertainty over his place in the Royal Challengers Bengaluru playing XI ahead of the playoffs.Bethell entered IPL 2026 with significant expectations following his impressive performances for England earlier in the year. However, the youngster has struggled to make a major impact during the tournament, managing just 163 runs in nine matches in what has been a difficult campaign for the left-hander.The English batter was also ruled out of RCB’s final league-stage clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 22 due to a finger injury. His absence forced RCB to reshuffle their batting order, with Venkatesh Iyer opening alongside Virat Kohli while the franchise awaited the return of fellow Englishman Phil Salt for the playoffs. Captain Rajat Patidar returned to the XI after recovering from a finger injury of his own.With England set to begin their Test summer against New Zealand national cricket team on June 4, Vaughan believes Bethell should prioritize recovery and national duty over remaining with RCB if he is unlikely to feature in the knockout stage.Speaking on Cricbuzz, Vaughan said:“If Jacob Bethell's injured, he should be on the next plane home to England. England plays a Test match on June 4th, making sure that England has a look at him before potentially, to see if he is fit or not going to be fit for the Test match against New Zealand. I would think he's better off back in the UK, just getting assessed.”Vaughan acknowledged the value of the IPL experience for young cricketers but stressed that England’s preparations should now take priority.“I'm being a bit old school, I guess they'll say he's got to stay till the end, but if he's not going to play for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, England have got a training camp this next week. He should be back home in the UK.”The former England skipper also highlighted the learning experience Bethell has already gained from spending two seasons in the IPL environment.“You know I'm a big believer in the IPL. If you're going to play, it grows your game massively. And obviously, when you're a young player in the dressing room with lights, I completely get it.”“As a young player, he was here last year, so he learned a lot. This year, he's played a little bit, but hasn't had a huge amount of success. But if he is injured, England has a training camp this week. Baz McCullum arrives in the UK on Sunday morning, and I think the training camp starts Monday. He should be back in the UK with the team.”