Jacob Bethell joins Indian legend Kapil Dev in elite company after maiden first-class hundred during AUS vs ENG 5th Test

Jacob Bethell joined legendary former Indian captain Kapil Dev in elite list after the young England batter became the first from the country to record his both List A and first-class hundreds at the international level. Bethell's maiden Test hundred came on Wednesday against Australia on the fifth day of the fifth and final Test in Ashe 2025-26 in Sydney.

With the final Test heading an Australian win, Bethell came out to bat after the fall of opener Zak Crawley in the first over of England's second innings. While most of his teammates continued their struggle, Bethell displayed a calm and composed attitude in front of a packed SCG.

The youngster reached his first hundred in the longest format of the game with a boundary off Beau Webster, with his family in the crowd. Under testing circumstances, Bethell's level-headedness was widely appreciated.

He is currently batting on 135 at the time of writing, as England's second innings lead crossed the 100-run mark. Earlier, Bethell's ODI hundred came against South Africa last year in Southampton.

Before Bethell, the likes of Kapil (India), Marlon Samuels (West Indies), Mehidy Hasan Miraz (Bangladesh) and Curtis Campher (Ireland) have scored maiden first-class as well as List-A hundreds in internationals.

More records by Jacob Bethell

With this hundred, Bethell became the fifth Englishman to score his maiden first-class century in a Test match. Before Bethell, Henry Wood (vs SA, in 1892), Jack Russell (vs AUS in 1989), Stuart Broad (vs PAK in 2010) and Gus Atkinson (vs SL in 2024) achieved the feat.

Bethell also became the first cricketer in 33 years to score a maiden first-class hundred during Ashes. Charles Bannerman (AUS in 1877), Billy Murdoch (AUS in 1880), Percy McDonnell (AUS in 1882), Harry Graham (AUS in1893), Jack Russell (ENG in 1989) and Ian Healy (AUS in 1993) achieved the milestone ahead of Bethell.

At 22 years and 76 days, Bethell became the fourth-youngest to score an Ashes hundred for England post the World War II. The first three in the list are David Gower (21y 258d) in 1978, Alastair Cook (21y 357d) in 2006 and Colin Cowdrey (22y 7d) in 1954.

Australia vs England 5th Test so far

Bethell's hundred also meant the fifth Test go into final day. He shared an 81-run second-wicket stand with Ben Duckett (42), 32 with Joe Root (6), 102 with Harry Brook (42) and 45 with Jamie Smith (26) to help England reach 302/8 at stumps on Day 4, a lead of 119 runs.

He finished 142 not out from 232 balls, helping England erase the 183-run first-innings deficit and maintain a chance of winning back-to-back Tests Down Under. Australia lead the series at 3-1.