England’s stand-in captain, Ollie Pope, is under the spotlight following a string of low scores in the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka. Despite England’s dominant performances, particularly highlighted by Gus Atkinson’s impressive all-round display, Pope has struggled with the bat, recording scores of 6, 6, 1, and 17 in his four innings so far. Former England captain Michael Vaughan labeled Pope as “insecure,” questioning his shot selection and suggesting that the burden of captaincy might be affecting his performance.
After England secured a 190-run victory in the second Test at Lord’s, Pope acknowledged his poor form but expressed optimism about a fresh start in the upcoming third Test at The Oval, his home ground. “I’m not going to hide behind the fact that I’ve had two poor games with the bat,” Pope admitted. “That’s the way cricket is sometimes and form comes and goes. But I think the best players are the ones who can draw a line under it and have a fresh start next week. Hopefully, I can put a score together.”
Pope emphasized the importance of learning from his recent experiences and improving his approach to starting innings. He noted that captaincy naturally attracts more criticism, but he remains focused on blocking out negative opinions and staying close to those who trust his abilities. “When you’re captain as well, you’re going to attract a lot more [criticism],” Pope said. “It’s important to block it out and keep staying close with the people around you.”
The third and final Test of the series is set to begin on September 6 at The Oval, where Pope will be eager to turn his form around and lead England to a series sweep.
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