England captain Ben Stokes has backed Ollie Pope to continue at No. 3 for the opening Test against India. Pope has been picked over Jacob Bethell, and according to Stokes, the decision was based on Pope’s commanding 171-run knock against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge last month.
Stokes made it clear that Pope’s recent big score was too significant to overlook, despite Bethell’s impressive record. “[The] big selection came from not us. It would be remarkable to choose someone else if their last knock was 170. That’s pretty much all I need to see on that,” said Stokes during the pre-match press conference.
Pope has been under observation for a long time
Bethell was unavailable for the Zimbabwe Test due to his IPL commitments with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. However, he had strengthened his case with consistent performances in New Zealand earlier this year and an explosive white-ball display against the West Indies. His left-arm spin might have offered England an added advantage on what’s expected to be a dry Leeds surface, but Pope’s weight of runs proved decisive.
Pope has been closely observed for a while, especially with a modest average of 24.6 against India and an overall average of 35.49. However, Stokes believes Pope has the mental strength to handle the pressure that comes with playing at the highest level.
“I think scoring 170 in his last Test match shows how well he can handle that extra scrutiny, and it comes with the territory. When you’re an international player, it comes with it,” the England skipper explained.
“It’s one of those things—when you’re a kid, you dream about playing for England, and it’s an unbelievable thing. The other side of it is, you can come under the pump for it. That’s part of the territory and handling it. It will always come someone’s way at some point,” he concluded.
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