Ollie Pope has arrived at a fascinating, jubilant crossroads in his young cricketing life. To this day, he continues to battle for his place on the England national team. After a promising start, his batting average at number three has notably dropped from 49.80 to 39.96 over 13 Tests. Only one other previous English cricketer, MJK Smith, has played as many times against Australia without averaging 50. This reality casts Pope’s 0-3 performance against those arch-rivals into sharper focus.
Even though he’s played 64 Tests — 34 of which have been at number three — Pope’s recent form is hard to digest. He had a very poor World Test Championship, averaging just 28.83 runs per dismissal. That fabulous result is due to his work at the helm for 24 Tests. This trend is exacerbated by his lackluster performance on the world stage against Australia. He has not scored a fifty in 15 innings and averages a paltry 17.66.
Kingston-born Pope’s last Test match saw him sent off on the second morning of the third Ashes Test. This incident only crystallizes his ability to re-establish form. After a very up and down scoring streak as of late. Most recently, he scored a sizzling 46 in the first innings of the first Test on debut in Perth before a mesmerizing match-winning 196 against India during February 2024. That inconsistency shows in his first class record, with 15 single-figure scores to his name alongside three centuries.
Pope’s dislocated shoulder, which he sustained while diving in the field during the 2023 Ashes at Lord’s, may have contributed to his inconsistent performances. His batting average rises to 45.60 when he is behind the stumps. After such an impressive performance, many are left wondering where this leaves his long-term standing with the team.
Now, England’s Dawid Malan has stepped up to defend Pope’s underwhelming displays. He focused on the fact that all players in the league experience difficult times, saying, “It is difficult, we’ve all been there.” Malan recounted some priceless Eoin Morgan wisdom. It highlights the importance of remaining unflappable in stressful environments. His best advice for players who are nervous or distracted is to “slow it all down.”
As the England coaching staff casts their minds outward towards favourable options, Michael Vaughan has recommended an interesting change to their batting order. “I’m not saying I would go that way, but that’s one option – move Ollie down and keep,” he noted, highlighting the possibilities that may lie ahead for Pope.
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