Bethell’s knocks this winter, from Southampton to Sydney and then a Mumbai semi-final, have shown variety akin to Freddie Mercury’s vocal range.

His first Test hundred in the fifth Ashes Test was an old-school epic – 154 runs compiled across six hours of batting.

He clipped and pulled, drove and cut, with shots from the oldest textbook.

But Bethell’s 105 from 48 balls against India, which kept England’s attempt at a record chase going right to the final over, was more reflective of the modern world.

It reflected a man with bleached blonde curls who left home in Barbados as a teenager to pursue his dreams in England. A player who was signed up by one of the world’s biggest T20 franchises before his international place was secure.

“They’re not comparable, really,” Bethell said of his two hundreds.

“The skills and mental thinking are different but both feelings are pretty good.

“But both of them have come in losing causes, which is a weird feeling.”

On Thursday, Bethell cracked a switch hit off Varun Chakravarthy, played a delicate reverse scoop off Hardik Pandya and, with flowing hands and flashing wrists, stroked the ball to all parts.

He did not deserve to be run out in the final over, face down in the dirt. When he slumped off, even the India supporters rose to their feet to applaud.

Bethell’s performances have vindicated England’s decision to pluck him from relative obscurity. He had played only 20 first-class matches when given a Test debut in New Zealand in 2024.

Regarded as calm beyond his years even then, his nerveless mentality and clear thinking were on show yet again in the febrile atmosphere of the Wankhede Stadium.

Between deliveries he wandered to the leg side to steady himself before reengaging with the task at hand.

“Some guys like to keep going and keep staying and face the next ball as quick as possible but I like two to five seconds of clarity, give myself a smack on the pad,” he said.