Explained: Why Did RCB Buy Jacob Bethell Ahead Of Will Jacks In IPL 2025 Auction?
![RCB preferred Jacob Bethell over Will Jacks [Source: @TheKhelIndia/X, @WarwickshireCCC/X]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1732593596442_Jacks_Bethell.jpg?im=Resize=(650,450))
RCB preferred Jacob Bethell over Will Jacks [Source: @TheKhelIndia/X, @WarwickshireCCC/X]
Royal Challengers Bengaluru had an eventful second day in the IPL 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Fans' favourite RCB relied heavily on data while forming a solid team on paper ahead of the tournament's next season.
With English analyst Mo Bobat supervising RCB's auction plan, the franchise targeted several players from the European nation. Apart from securing the services of Phil Salt and Liam Livingstone, RCB spent heavily on Jacob Bethell, signing the Warwickshire all-rounder for 2.60 Crores.
However, in a surprising move, RCB didn't use their Right To Match (RTM) card for Will Jacks. Therefore, as their auction strategy continues to grab the eyeballs, here are three reasons why the franchise preferred Bethell over Will Jacks for IPL 2025.
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Why Did RCB Prefer Jacob Bethell Over Will Jacks In IPL 2025 Auction?
RCB Needed A Left-Handed Batter
- By the time Will Jacks went under the hammer, Royal Challengers Bengaluru had already formed a solid top order comprising Virat Kohli, Phil Salt and Rajat Patidar.
- Considering they had Liam Livingstone and Jitesh Sharma as their first-choice finishers, RCB actually needed a quality left-handed batter to counter the slow left-arm spinners and right-arm leg spinners in the middle overs.
- Therefore, it was a logical move by the Royal Challengers to buy Jacob Bethell, who can add immense value to their lineup.
Jacob Bethell: A Beast In Middle Overs
- Jacob Bethell has impressive numbers in the middle overs and, hence, can play a crucial role for RCB in the 7-15 overs phase. In 2024, the left-handed batter averages 40.25 and has struck at a blistering rate of 140.40 in the middle phase of the game.
- Furthermore, he has been brilliant against his favourable spin matchups, which are slow left-arm orthodox and right-arm leg spin, scoring 200 runs at a strike rate of 151.51 against these two bowling types this year. Thus, his brilliant numbers against the spinners make the case stronger for his inclusion in RCB's playing XI.
Will Jacks vs Jacob Bethell: A Comparison Of Recent Form
| Batter | Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will Jacks | 45 | 1119 | 26.02 | 159.17 |
| Jacob Bethell | 25 | 700 | 38.89 | 151.18 |
(Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell in all T20s since January 2024)
As mentioned in the above table, although Jacks has a slightly better strike rate than Bethell, the latter has been more consistent with the bat in the shortest format this year. Therefore, RCB played smartly by purchasing the in-form Bethell at a much lower price than what MI used to add Jacks to their setup.
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