England making Jacob Bethell its youngest ever men's cricket captain at 21

Jacob Bethell will set a new record as England’s youngest-ever men’s cricket captain at just 21, when he leads the team next month.

Bethell will captain England in a three-match Twenty20 series against Ireland in Dublin. The previous record was held by Monty Bowden, who was 23 when he captained England in a Test against South Africa in 1889 after regular skipper Aubrey Smith fell ill.

Several senior players, including regular white-ball captain Harry Brook, will miss the Ireland series, as Brook is scheduled to lead England in one-day and T20 matches against South Africa in early September.

“Jacob Bethell has shown strong leadership qualities throughout his time with the England squads, and the Ireland series will give him a chance to further develop those skills at the international level,” England men’s selector Luke Wright said Friday.

The appointment reflects Bethell’s rapid rise, having made his international debuts across all three formats only last year. The Ireland series is set to begin on September 17.