Jacob Bethell hopes he will avoid a hostile reception when he returns to Barbados – the land of his birth – with England next month.

Bethell, who turns 21 this month, made a reasonable impression in his maiden international T20 and ODI series against Australia at the end of the English summer, and has now been selected for the tour of the Caribbean.

Bethell will be one of three players in the England party who spent time in Barbados growing up, alongside opener Phil Salt – who was born in Wales – and Jofra Archer.

Bethell still speaks with a slight Bajan lilt despite being scouted by Rugby School, where he won a scholarship that led to a contract with Warwickshire and now an England place. He is looking forward to returning to the island, and hopes not to be booed like Steve Smith still is in England for his part in ‘Sandpapergate’ in 2018.

“Yeah definitely, that’s where my heritage is so all my friends have already bought tickets, they’ll be in the stands waiting for me when I get there,” he said at this week’s Professional Cricketers’ Association awards, where he lost out to England team-mate Jamie Smith as Young Player of the Year.

“I’m slightly worried about how the West Indian fans are going to accept me so I’m hoping I don’t get booed too much as I’ve seen Steve Smith in his last few games and every time he walks out to bat it’s like the end of the world. I’m hoping that’s not the case in the West Indies.

“I’m only joking, there’s a whole lot of support coming around so I can’t imagine it’s going to be anything but that.”

All-rounder Bethell was satisfied with his first month in an England shirt. A stunning six he hit off at Adam Zampa went viral at Lord’s, but his best performance came in a T20 win at Cardiff. Now, he has hit sights set on Test cricket.