Ek naye khiladi ke liye, jo pehli baar IPL jaise bade stage par khel raha ho, yeh shuruaat thodi nirashajanak thi. Bethell, ek 21 saal ka young English all-rounder, jinhone England ke liye T20I aur ODI mein apni pehchaan banayi hai, unke liye RCB ke saath yeh mauka bada tha, lekin do match mein sirf 67 run, jismein ek adha-shatak shamil tha, unki ummeedon par poora nahi utra.
Lekin yeh chhoti si shuruaat bhi Bethell ke liye seekhne ka ek bada mauka bani. Unhone khud kaha ki Virat Kohli jaise mahaan khiladi ke saath khelna aur unke saath nets mein practice karna unke liye ek anmol tajurba tha. Bethell ne kaha, “Virat Kohli ne mujhe bahut madad ki. Unke saath nets mein time bitane se aur unke experience se main ek behtar khiladi bana hoon.” Kohli, jo RCB ke liye 18 saal se khel rahe hain aur IPL ke sabse bade run-scorer hain, ne Bethell jaise naye khiladiyon ko apna samay aur gyaan diya. Unke 2025 season mein 657 runs ke saath teesre sabse bade run-scorer hone ke bawajood, Kohli ka focus sirf apne performance par nahi, balki team ke naye khiladiyon ko guide karne par bhi tha. Yeh wahi Kohli hain jinhone 2016 mein 973 runs ka record banaya tha, jo aaj tak IPL ke ek season ka sabse bada score hai.
Bethell ke liye, jo ek chhoti si team Warwickshire se khelkar England ke international stage tak aaye hain, Kohli jaise khiladi ke saath kaam karna ek sapne jaisa tha. Unhone ek interview mein kaha, “Virat ke saath batting karna electrifying tha. Unka aura alag hi hai.” Bethell ne apne do matchon mein dikha diya ki woh bade stage par bhi dam dikha sakte hain. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ke khilaaf unka 55 run ka score, jo 33 balls mein aaya, yeh batata hai ki unmein dum hai. Us match mein Kohli ke 62 runs aur Romario Shepherd ke 14 balls mein 53 runs ke saath RCB ne 213 ka bada score banaya tha. Yeh wahi match tha jismein CSK ke Matheesha Pathirana ne shandaar bowling ki, lekin RCB ke aggressive batting ne unhe jeet dilayi. Yeh yaad dilata hai 2011 ke IPL final ka, jab CSK ne RCB ko hara kar title jeeta tha, lekin is baar RCB ne apna badla pura kiya.
Bethell ka yeh chhota sa IPL stint unke career ka ek turning point ho sakta hai. Unhone England ke liye 2024 mein T20I debut kiya aur West Indies ke khilaaf ek T20I mein 50 runs banaye, jo unhe 21 saal aur 17 din ki umar mein sabse young England batter banaya jisne T20I fifty banayi. RCB ke saath unka waqt unhe spin bowling ke khilaaf behtar banane mein madad karega, jaisa unhone West Indies ke khilaaf ODI mein dikhaya, jahan unhone 82 runs banaye aur ek wicket bhi liya. Yeh wahi spirit hai jo chhote khiladiyon ko bade banta hai, jaise ki 2008 mein Kohli ne U-19 World Cup jeeta tha aur uske baad IPL mein apni jagah banayi.
Lekin yeh sab chamak-damak ke bawajood, Bethell ke liye ek baat thodi khatakti hai. Unka IPL 2025 ka safar chhota raha kyunki England ke T20I series ke liye unhe wapas bulaya gaya, jisse woh playoffs mein RCB ke liye nahi khel sake. Yeh ek mauka tha jo shayad unhe aur bada naam dila sakta tha, lekin international duties ne unka waqt cheen liya. RCB ke liye yeh bhi ek jhatka tha, kyunki Bethell jaise versatile khiladi ka hona unke liye playoffs mein game-changer ho sakta tha. Aakhir mein, Kohli ke saath waqt bitane ka faida toh mila, lekin IPL ke bade stage par apni puri kabiliyat dikhane ka mauka shayad haath se nikal gaya.
