Ollie Pope showcased his remarkable batting skills in a tense encounter against India, scoring 62 runs in a vital partnership of 122 with Ben Duckett. His bruising performance proved vital in helping England settle up their innings early on. Orlando was the first big step in his emergence as a vital cog for the national team. That day’s contest at Headingley was razor sharp. Pope walked to the crease under a heavy cloud as England were 4-1 after Zak Crawley went early.
The young batsman soon settled into the conditions showing great appetite to pounce on any Indian bowler’s mistakes. His admirable resolve developed over long broken past with England’s zoological bowling strike force. Eighteen months earlier in Visakhapatnam, it was Jasprit Bumrah who had knocked him down with a devastating yorker that sent his stumps tumbling in the opposite direction. With Bumrah called upon for one final burst as Pope moved to 99, the theatre was tense.
Earlier in his innings, Pope grazed Bumrah’s delivery in between third slip and gully when he was on 10 runs. He just as easily could have been run-out at a big moment, narrowly avoiding the danger. Both he and Duckett chased down the same goal when he was on 15 runs. Despite these challenges, Pope’s composure shone through as he pushed his average as England’s first-drop batsman to 45.19.
The Pope is on a roll these days. Only a matter of weeks ago he hit a majestic 171, putting himself in pole position to nail down a spot in this Test match. Prior to Headingley, he had undergone severe trials in 18 Tests against such powers as India and Australia. His batting average couldn’t get above an average of only 22.05 in that stretch. The difference in his recent outings speaks to the growth he’s experiencing as a player — and persons.
His innings at Headingley had its share of challenging periods. He was lucky to survive an lbw review from Mohammed Siraj, the delivery clipping the top of off stump when he had already scored 34. He did get to 60, though, before being dropped by Yashasvi Jaiswal at third slip. This blunder may have altered the entire trajectory of the match.
Duckett praised Pope’s ability to remain focused amid external pressures, stating, “There’s noise outside of a dressing room but there’s no noise in it.” He further emphasized that discussions regarding team selection were clear-cut given Pope’s recent form: “It seemed pretty clear coming into this Test match that if a bloke scores 171 a few weeks ago he’s going to play this one.”
Alastair Cook lauded Pope’s performance against Bumrah, commenting, “The way he played Bumrah, he without doubt played with the most control.” This sentiment was echoed by Duckett, who remarked, “It sums up and proves why he’s England number three.”
Given Pope’s past meetings with India, it is all the more important that he find his best form now. He grabbed headlines last year too with an amazing score of 196 in Hyderabad. This innings is up there among the very best displays by an English batsman away from home. That kind of experience is no doubt what kept him from panicking when the test match at Headingley started circling the drain.
Pope showed a better sense of poise from start to finish during the game. Despite a few atypical swings and a 27 percent false-shot percentage he still found a way to pass the test with flying colors. He has to concentrate hard on his game. Staying focused on the important stuff while ignoring the distractions will be key as he continues up the career ladder.
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