Marsh dodges Sandpapergate questions as Australia readies for England white-ball cricket series

England faces a significant setback ahead of their upcoming white-ball tour of Australia after Jacob Bethell was ruled out of the series due to a setback in his recovery from a right knee injury. The 23-year-old batter will return to the UK on Saturday following an earlier training session in Perth where he experienced discomfort.

A subsequent scan confirmed his exclusion from the upcoming assignments, with Bethell scheduled to consult a specialist for further evaluation. The ECB confirmed the news in an official statement, stating that Bethell has not featured for England since their victorious ODI series against India in July, where he sustained the knee injury after scoring 91 at Lord's.

He had undergone surgery in September and traveled to Australia in hopes of making an international comeback. To fill the void, England have called up James Coles and Eddie Jack to their ODI squad. Coles, known for his all-round abilities, and Jack, who brings pace-bowling skills, are expected to arrive in Perth on Thursday. The replacements will bolster England's squad for the three-match ODI series and five T20 Internationals scheduled from November 13 to December 2.

The ODI series will commence in Perth on November 13, followed by matches in Adelaide, Hobart, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sydney, and Canberra.