England's September white-ball squads: Key discussion points surrounding Salt vs Smith and the Bethell trade-off in English cricket

In the world of English cricket, a new generation of talented players is making waves, with Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Jacob Bethell, and others standing out as potential stars.

Rehan Ahmed, hailed as the present and future of England's cricket team, is currently leading his team to victory in Division Two. His all-round feats, not seen by an Englishman since Botham, have been a highlight, with five County Championship hundreds to his name. Ahmed has been named in all three September squads and could form a leg-spin duo with Adil Rashid.

Meanwhile, Sonny Baker, known for his blistering pace, has already caught the attention of the selectors. Baker made his County Championship debut this season and has impressed with his performances, including a 3-60 in the first innings for England Lions. His impressive display earned him a spot in the white-ball series against South Africa and Ireland in 2025, where he made his ODI and T20I debut. Baker is now being discussed as a candidate for the Ashes series due to his pace and performances.

Jacob Bethell, another promising young talent, has shown flashes of brilliance in England's white-ball sides. Despite struggling for game time in recent months, Bethell made history by becoming England's youngest ever men's captain for three T20Is against Ireland.

However, not all news is positive for every player. Liam Livingstone, despite a domestic resurgence, has been excluded from England's squads. His exclusion seems to be a definitive decision by the selectors, and it could potentially impact the chances of Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, and Tom Hartley in England's squad.

In a surprising turn of events, Jamie Smith opened for England in their last series and scored a rapid fifty, and a century against India. His impressive performances have kept him in the spotlight.

On the brighter side, Tom Banton has shown signs of acing the finisher's role in England's T20Is, while Phil Salt has averaged 34 in T20Is and struck at 176. Salt played a key role in RCB's IPL title win and demonstrated his ability to perform outside of Barbados with a recent T20I knock of 55 off 23.

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England's September white-ball squads: Key discussion points surrounding Salt vs Smith and the Bethell trade-off in English cricket