'Absolute nonsense': Jason Gillespie rips apart Kevin Pietersen for rejecting Alastair Cook's opinion on RCB's Jacob Bethell

'Absolute nonsense': Jason Gillespie rips apart Kevin Pietersen for rejecting Alastair Cook's opinion on RCB's Jacob Bethell originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Cook wanted Bethell to return to the UK and play county cricket to prepare for the NZ Test series
• Pietersen slammed Cook's opinion on Bethell as he advised the youngster to stay back and learn in IPL. 
• Gillespie hits out at Pietersen for dismissing Cook's statement on Bethell.

Jason Gillespie rips apart Kevin Pietersen for rejecting Alastair Cook's opinion on Jacob Bethell

Former Australian fast bowler and ex-Pakistan coach, Jason Gillespie, went all guns blazing with criticism at Kevin Pietersen for dismissing the opinion of ex-England captain, Alastair Cook, on RCB and England batter Jacob Bethell.

Back in April, after an impressive T20 World Cup campaign, Bethell was in the fray for England's Test squad for their upcoming home series against New Zealand in the summer. 

However, Bethell was not getting a chance in the RCB starting lineup at the initial stage of the tournament as Phil Salt and Virat Kohli had cemented their places at the top of the order. 

Cook had then suggested that Bethell should play some county cricket to prepare himself for red-ball cricket instead of warming benches in the IPL. The comments did not go down well with Cook's former England team-mate Kevin Pietersen, who had sharply launched an attack on the southpaw.

Now, Gillepsie, in turn, has slammed Pietersen for being dismissive of Cook's idea as he told the Fast Bowling Cartel podcast, "The nerve of Sir Alastair Cook to suggest something like that. KP has gone off the deep end and stated that Sir Alastair Cook’s opinion doesn’t matter because he’s never been to the Ihe IPL and would not know.

"I think Sir Alastair Cook had a valid point, but the way KP absolutely hammered him for having an opinion — give me a spell, boys, absolute nonsense."

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Alastair Cook and Kevin Pietersen's opinion on Jacob Bethell

At a time when Phil Salt was still fit and was regularly playing for RCB in the initial stage of the IPL 2026 season, and Bethell was warming benches, Cook had said, "Bethell shouldn’t really be it because he’s not opening. He's sitting at the IPL not doing anything. Ideally, he could come back and open for Warwickshire to help England.

"There’s got to be a stage where you have to play. No one publicly is ever going to say the IPL’s not the place to be because everyone knows it lines everyone’s pockets."

Pietersen, in response, wrote on X: "Alastair Cook has absolutely NO IDEA what it's like to be in the IPL. What's it's like to always be around the best players in the world. So his opinion on Jacob Bethell doesn't matter at all. Stay in India, Jacob. I know, even though you're not playing, you're learning and will be a way better player."

MORE: Will Phil Salt play in RCB vs GT Qualifier 1?

How did Jacob Bethell react to the conversation between Pietersen and Cook?

After Salt picked up an injury and returned to the UK for treatment, Bethell finally got his spot in the playing XI and cemented his place as Kohli's opening partner for the remainder of the league stage.

After playing regularly, Bethell had said: "This is the marquee tournament of the year, with some of the best cricketers in the world playing in it. Everyone thinks differently, but from a personal point of view, I think I’ve made the right decision. This is the marquee tournament of the year, with pretty much all of the best cricketers in the world playing in it.

"I definitely don’t think it’s going to hurt my career or stop me from getting better. I think it’s going to do the opposite. Everyone’s allowed to think what they want. That's absolutely fine. Everyone thinks differently, but from a personal point of view, I think I've made the right decision. At the end of the day, I'm pretty happy with where I am."

Unfortunately, the youngster's journey with RCB in IPL 2026 had to be cut short after he picked up a finger and will now miss the playoffs.

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