Tom Banton called up by England as injury cover for Jacob Bethell

Jacob Bethell has emerged as a major doubt for the Champions Trophy, leading England to call up Tom Banton after a three-year absence for their tour-ending ODI against India on Wednesday.

Bethell only made his England debut in September but has featured 22 times in all formats and impressed to such a degree that there is a persuasive case he should be first choice in Tests, ODIs and T20s.

However, the all-rounder injured his left hamstring when making a composed fifty in the first ODI in Nagpur on Thursday and was absent in Cuttack on Sunday as England tried to level the series.

While England announced Bethell will have a further assessment on Monday, it is understood he has had a scan and there are fears he is not only set to miss the third ODI but the Champions Trophy, too.

England are more optimistic about the prognosis of wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith, sidelined since midway through the T20 series with a calf problem but who could return in Ahmedabad on Wednesday.

But with their Champions Trophy opener against Australia on February 22 in Lahore, Pakistan, England are unlikely to take any major risks, leading to them summoning Banton to India.

Still only 26, Banton burst on to the scene with a breakout domestic summer for Somerset in 2019 and made 20 appearances for England, with three fifties, before dropping out of contention.

However, he stood out in red and white-ball cricket last summer for Somerset and Trent Rockets and has amassed 493 runs at an average of 54.77 in the International League T20 in the United Arab Emirates.

As well as Smith and Bethell missing Sunday’s second ODI in Cuttack, England rested Brydon Carse and Jofra Archer owing to minor toe and hand injuries, leading to assistant coaches and former internationals Paul Collingwood and Marcus Trescothick being named among the substitute fielders.