England head coach Brendon McCullum has voiced his unwavering support for vice-captain Ollie Pope, despite the batsman’s recent struggles in the Test series against India. As the teams gear up for the fifth and final Test, starting on March 7 in Dharamsala, McCullum remains confident in Pope’s abilities.
Pope’s series has been a tale of two halves. He played a pivotal role in England’s victory in the first Test at Hyderabad, scoring a match-winning 196 runs and earning the Player of the Match award. However, his performance in the subsequent Tests in Vizag, Rajkot, and Ranchi has been underwhelming, contributing to England’s current 3-1 deficit in the series.
McCullum Compares Pope to Cricket Legends
Despite Pope’s current slump, McCullum remains unfazed, emphasizing that the young batsman understands the need to improve. He highlighted the experiences of legendary cricketers like Kevin Pietersen and Ricky Ponting, who also faced initial challenges in their careers before going on to achieve greatness.
“He’s [Ollie Pope] aware of what he needs to do,” McCullum stated, quoted by India Today. “He obviously bagged them [ducks] in the last Test and he’s gutted about that, but look at the way he was then helping the skipper on the last day and diving around in the field.”
McCullum further elaborated, “Look at Kevin Pietersen and Ricky Ponting when they first went out to bat. They were frenetic at the start and everyone’s susceptible when they first go out there. It’s just the way it is. But Popey is trying to be as calm as he can be when he goes out there and there’s a period when he needs to grab information from the wicket and get the rhythm of how the game is going.”
Can Pope Bounce Back?
With the series on the line, all eyes will be on Ollie Pope in the final Test. McCullum’s faith and the examples of legendary batsmen overcoming similar hurdles may provide Pope with the mental boost he needs to overcome his current slump and contribute significantly to England’s cause in Dharamsala.
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