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Stokes’ confidence in Pope comes off handsomely for EnglandStokesStokes’ confidence in Pope comes off handsomely for England
Following their victory over Pakistan in Rawalpindi in late 2022, Ollie Pope came into the public eye as a potential vice-captain to Ben Stokes, the closest competitor to England’s success in Hyderabad. At that time, Stokes didn’t have an official deputy, and Pope was designated to lead if the captain couldn’t play due to the bug that had affected the team.
This raised some eyebrows, given the stark contrast in their cricketing journeys. Stokes, a hyperactive individual from working-class Cockermouth with a non-academic background, was discovered by Durham while playing for Cumbria. On the other hand, Pope, born in Chelsea and educated at the fee-paying Cranleigh, experienced a relatively smooth ascent through the ranks at Surrey.
As they sat together on Sunday for the post-match press conference at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, both Ollie Pope and Ben Stokes, adorned in whites marked by the dirt and sweat from a remarkable 28-run victory over India, served as a reminder that their contrasting backgrounds hold little significance. In terms of their cricketing perspective, they increasingly seem to share common ground.
Stokes acknowledged this similarity at the beginning of the last summer, confirming Pope as his consigliere. A year earlier, when Stokes assumed the captaincy, he had already vouched for Pope, insisting on his return after a challenging Ashes tour. Stokes then worked on instilling the belief in Pope that he could excel at the No. 3 spot, despite lacking prior experience in that position.
During the first Test here, both instances where Stokes showed faith in Pope yielded significant returns, with Pope playing a pivotal role in the remarkable turnaround as both a leader and a batsman. Before the commencement of the third day, when England was still three wickets away from batting again and trailing by 175 runs, Pope took charge of addressing the team.
Despite experiencing a somewhat uncertain performance in the first innings and returning to Test cricket for the first time since a shoulder injury disrupted his Ashes campaign, the 26-year-old could have understandably turned inward. However, he spoke with apparent clarity and conviction, advising his teammates to focus only on the present moment, disregarding the overall state of the game.
His actions aligned with his words, as he compiled a masterful 196 over six hours against the world’s premier spin attack on a turning pitch. Assisted by the lower order, this innings has already become a part of English folklore. The praise extended beyond English voices, with Joe Root’s description of it as “a new benchmark” in India, a notable acknowledgment considering Root’s own success in Asian conditions.
“I haven’t witnessed a more impressive display of sweeping and reverse sweeping in these conditions against such high-quality bowling,” remarked Rahul Dravid, India’s head coach and cricket legend. In contrast to his captain, Rohit Sharma, who mentioned he doesn’t focus on opponents, Dravid acknowledged the need for revised plans.
However, Stokes was not passive in steering the team; he played a pivotal role in this victory. This marked his 14th win out of 19 as the full-time Test captain, and he described it as his greatest achievement to date. Considering the limited resources available, further diminished by Jack Leach’s injured knee, it’s challenging to envision many others who could have achieved the same.
A crucial moment harks back to the handling of Tom Hartley on the first evening, guiding the rookie through the challenges posed by Yashasvi Jaiswal. “It’s the confidence that he has,” said the 24-year-old, whose match-sealing figures of seven for 62 represent the third five-wicket haul by a debutant spinner under Stokes. “The way he builds you up, there are no negative thoughts; it’s all positive.”
“I had observed some unconventional approaches,” answered Hartley when queried about his observations of England under Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum. “Having been part of this Test match, I’m fully on board. Even before, I was content with it; I was fully committed. They inject a lot of confidence and energy into the team.”
Stubbornness played a role here, exemplified by the team’s decision to travel to Abu Dhabi for a pre-series camp, similar to the approach before Pakistan, despite anticipating criticism. According to Hartley, the ability to customize pitches was crucial, starting flat and introducing unpredictability as the tour progressed.
Pope, in particular, was reported to thrive in such conditions, evident in the results. It was a daring innings, but Stokes had confidence in Pope’s ability when bringing him back into the fold.
The captain, displaying improved mobility after knee surgery, expressed a continued commitment to lead the Test side. However, when the time comes, and if Pope assumes the role, a different background may not necessarily translate to a different approach.
