"How Do You Dishonour" IPL Contract? Dinesh Karthik, Mo Bobat In 'Heated' Discussion With Alastair Cook. This Star In Question

Jacob Bethell's stint with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2026 is in the news again. This time, things got a bit heated. The two parties involved were former England captain Alastair Cook on one side and Dinesh Karthik and RCB Director of Cricket Operations Mo Bobat on the other. The point of contention was Bethell not getting playing time initially, during which he was urged by Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook to return home and prepare for the Test series against New Zealand (which started in June). Cook again backed the call he made then, saying that "warming the bench" was of no use.

Dinesh Karthik told Cook that Bethell was bound by contract to stay with RCB.

"You say he was sitting there warming the bench. He has a contract in place with RCB, which he has decided to be part of. How do you dishonour the contract which he has chosen to be part of? How do you dishonour it because he is warming the bench? So if every player decided to do that - 'If you drop me, I am going back home' - then we will have only 11 players in our environment. I know he should take a decision. You know Phil Salt is here. I might not play, so I should get back home. Say it not before the season, but before you put your name in the auction. Choose then, and if you get here, decide to play. You can't say, 'Oh, I am not playing, I want to go home,'" Karthik said in a podcast.

Mo Bobat says he played in Ahmedabad and shared the dressing room with the likes of Virat Kohli and Rashid Khan.

"Then he came back and did not score any runs in the first two Tests," Cook replied.

He looked frustrated as he said: "What I'm saying is, I think this is where it's really important. I'm here for the Test match in a week's time, and one of our No. 3 players is sitting on the bench. I think it's really important that English cricket is more important than the IPL or a franchise. That's what I think, and apparently, I'm not allowed to think it because the IPL is the best tournament in the world," the former skipper said.

"English cricket is more important than an IPL or franchise."

Sir Alastair argues his case with DK and Mo. pic.twitter.com/JmhKBqbMHQ

— Stick to Cricket (@StickToCricket) July 22, 2026

Cook questioned the logic of Bethell spending another IPL season on the bench, adding: "So I'm taking it that Jacob Bethell, who sat on the bench the year before and learnt from all those players, is now also sitting on the bench and not playing. I'm sitting here going, my No. 3 for the side I actually really want to win, which is England - no disrespect to RCB and all those franchises - I want England to be the most successful side."

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Topics mentioned in this article

Jacob Bethell Dinesh Karthik Alastair Cook Royal Challengers Bengaluru Cricket