‘IPL not as good as everyone thinks’: Alastair Cook’s bold claim stirs fresh controversy
Former England captain Alastair Cook defended his advice to Jacob Bethell regarding IPL opportunities, emphasizing the need for game time over just learning from top players. Cook acknowledged Bethell has since played more, but reiterated that public criticism of the IPL is unlikely due to financial incentives and career implications, suggesting both viewpoints can be valid.
Former England captain Alastair Cook has responded to criticism from ex-teammate Kevin Pietersen over his remarks on Jacob Bethell, after suggesting the youngster should consider leaving the Indian Premier League 2026 midway to play County cricket due to limited opportunities. The debate began when Pietersen strongly disagreed with Cook’s view, arguing that being around top-level players in the IPL itself is invaluable. He also questioned Cook’s understanding of the tournament environment, urging Bethell to stay back in India despite not featuring regularly.
Cook has now revisited the discussion on the Stick to Cricket podcast, striking a measured tone while standing by his original point. He maintained that his comments were based on Bethell’s lack of game time and noted that circumstances have slightly changed since then, with the youngster getting opportunities as an impact player. “I just gave my opinion.
I can justify that at the time he wasn’t playing, and he didn’t play (much) last year either. So, he had that benefit of doing once or twice. In my opinion, he has done a bit of that.
Ironically, since all that came out, he has now played a bit," Cook said on Stick to Cricket podcast. Expanding further, Cook highlighted what he believes is an underlying reality around the league. While acknowledging the IPL’s stature, he suggested that players are unlikely to criticise the competition publicly due to its financial pull and professional implications.