When 21-year-old Jacob Bethell was talking about making his Test debut at No.3 against New Zealand last week, he said ‘look, when I was growing up I played high up the order’.

This amused me, watching the interview from the TNT Sports studio, because firstly at 21, he still is very much growing up, and secondly the example he used of his junior games was relevant only because he had no evidence of playing up the order in his professional career.

Coming in at four was the extent of it, and then only twice. He reminded me a little of that Apprentice candidate who kept banging on about winning a scholarship to Sandhurst, despite never having attended.

When Sir Alan finally fired him he admitted – becoming relatable at last – that he had to keep harping on about it because he did not actually have any professional experience. What was he supposed to do?

Before the NZ tour we had watched Bethell produce two unbeaten half-centuries in T20Is in Barbados and St Lucia. No less a batter than studio pundit Sir Alastair Cook had admired his set-up, but still, being given the nod at the illustrious position of No.3 in the order – traditionally where you place your very best batter – that seemed quite a stretch.

A week on, we now have one Test performance to go on. And he delivered on the pre-tour vibes, performing with the apparent comfort of a young man batting for his school first XI – all while playing at very nearly the absolute pinnacle of his sport for the first time.

Established Bethell observers tell me the confidence he exhibits is earned from a deep reservoir of training and creatively approached methods of learning. But it was the belief that he could go out there for England in exactly the same way he did at school that interested me.

Relating it to Ben off the Apprentice is perhaps unfair, but stay with me.

Bethell’s confidence he could generate performances without the evidence available to back it up – and fans of cricket will know it is more than nearly any other a game of stats – that could have been insanity. And might have been called such, if we were sitting here ahead of the second Test off the back of two first-ball ducks rather than a creditable ten and a fluent unbeaten half-century to win the game.

One Test is not enough data to decide. But even if Bethell were sitting here reflecting on a king pair, his confident optimism would still be the right choice. As a decent amateur athlete who always struggled with believing I could win, even when there was plenty of evidence available, I was initially suspicious about this pioneering mentality.

Is confidence without evidence not just arrogance? It makes me think not of the brilliance of a Becker or a Pogacar, setting out there to take all before them with the unfettered optimism of youth, but of fictional fantasist Willy Loman – believing with committed delusion that easy success is just around the corner.

Long-established research tells us that positive illusions about ourselves and our abilities are essential for maintaining a healthy mental state. And if you are already performing at a higher level than most in your sport, negative illusions are really no use at all. For you, or for England.

Does Bethell have enough evidence to have earned the calm confidence he displays with the bat? No, but it’s one of the most valuable tools in his armoury.

The question he raises for us then is; what have we figured out, put the hours into and earned the right to feel optimistic about our skills in? It could be in a professional space but it could also be parenting, relationship building or even being really good at parking.

If the hours are there, why not give yourself that extra helpful bit of positive illusion. Who knows how it might help.

Kate is presenting TNT Sports’ coverage of the England men’s Test tour of New Zealand. Join Kate, Sir Alastair Cook and Phil Tufnell for the second Test starting Thursday at 9.30pm

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