Jacob Bethell will lead Birmingham Phoenix’s men this summer, stepping in after Liam Livingstone’s move to London Spirit. The 22-year-old left-hander was confirmed on Monday, only days before Thursday’s player auction for the 2026 Hundred.
Bethell is hardly new to captaincy. Last September he became England’s youngest men’s skipper in 136 years, guiding a second-string side to a 2-0 T20I win in Ireland while Harry Brook rested. “They wanted to chuck me in the deep end,” he said at the time, a line that still sums up England’s thinking – and, it seems, Phoenix’s as well. He had already led England Under-19s, so the step up was not completely blind.
Since then he has operated as Brook’s unofficial vice-captain on white-ball tours to New Zealand and Sri Lanka and during the T20 World Cup. The winter brought a rush of runs too: hundreds in the fifth Ashes Test and the World Cup semi-final against India made him the youngest England player with centuries in all three formats.
Phoenix moved quickly, using one of their £340,000 pre-signing slots to lock Bethell in before the auction. New men’s head coach Shane Bond, replacing Daniel Vettori, welcomed the choice. “Jacob is an outstanding young leader who has already shown maturity beyond his years. His experience captaining England last year demonstrated his tactical awareness and composure, as well as the ability to inspire those around him,” Bond said.
For Bethell, the Edgbaston role feels like the next logical step. “I’m incredibly proud to be named captain of the Birmingham Phoenix,” he reflected. “Leading this team is a huge honour, and it’s an opportunity I’m ready for, especially after the experience of captaining England last year. That responsibility taught me a lot about my own leadership and how to bring the best out of a group.”
The women’s side will stay under familiar guidance. Ellyse Perry returns for a third year at the helm, working with head coach Ali Maiden. “I’m really honoured to captain Birmingham Phoenix Women again,” Perry said. “Edgbaston is a special place to play cricket, and I’m looking forward to leading what we’re hoping will be a young and exciting squad of players who can play an eye-catching brand of cricket.”
Livingstone’s departure leaves a sizeable hole in Phoenix’s middle order, though the franchise still holds a handful of retention options. Bethell’s elevation may signal a slight shift in approach: less reliance on marquee names, more on emerging talent that fits the tactical balance Bond prefers – quick between the wickets, sharp in the field, flexible with the ball.
There is also the question of workload. Bethell’s international commitments continue to grow, and Phoenix will hope England’s selectors allow him a clear run in August. The Hundred schedule is yet to clash badly with Test or ODI fixtures, but a busy winter has shown how quickly calendars tighten.
For now, Phoenix have their man. A young captain with an older head, a coaching change that brings fresh eyes, and – once Thursday’s auction is done – a clearer picture of how the 2026 squad will look. It is not quite a rebuild, yet neither is it business as usual.
