Ollie Pope has resolved to "block out" the mounting criticism surrounding his batting as scrutiny intensifies following his 30 runs in four innings against Sri Lanka. Although England boasts a flawless record under his captaincy, Pope has faced backlash for failing to score more than 20 runs in the two Tests where he stood in for the injured Ben Stokes.
Pope managed scores of 1 and 17 in England's 190-run victory at Lord's, and the nature of his dismissals raised questions about his ability to "compartmentalise" the pressures of captaincy. In the first innings, he top-edged a wild pull shot to square leg, and in the second, while trying to push for a declaration, he was caught at deep point after top-edging an uppercut.
Pope acknowledged his poor shot selection but refused to blame it on the burden of captaincy. He expressed his determination to learn from the experience and move forward, stating that while the second innings was a unique situation with England looking to accelerate, he was disappointed with his first-innings shot. He admitted to having had two poor games with the bat but stressed that form is something that fluctuates and that the best players can draw a line under it and start fresh.
Known for his frenetic starts, Pope has been dismissed within his first 20 balls 32 times in 85 Test innings. Despite entering the series with good form, including a century and two fifties against the West Indies, he admitted that his nervous starts remain a challenge he is working to overcome. Pope described the last two matches as learning experiences and highlighted his desire to improve the way he begins his innings and to capitalise when he gets in.
Michael Vaughan has been particularly harsh in his critique, labelling Pope "an insecure human being" and suggesting that he is not suited to be England's captain. Pope, however, expected the added scrutiny that comes with captaincy and stated that his primary goal is to avoid "overthinking" as he prepares for the third Test at The Oval.
Pope explained that discussions with Ben Stokes before the series made him aware that being captain would attract more criticism. He highlighted the importance of blocking out the noise and staying focused on the support from those close to him. While acknowledging that everyone is entitled to their opinion, Pope stressed that trusting his teammates and coaches is crucial to regaining his best form and avoiding the distractions that can come with public scrutiny.
Pope revealed that he has sought advice from Joe Root, whose twin centuries played a key role in England's series-clinching win at Lord's. He noted that any England batter can learn a lot from Root and pinpointed that form is temporary. Pope's focus is on not overthinking, continuing to work hard, and approaching the next game with a fresh mindset.
The upcoming Test at The Oval will be Pope's first at his home ground—where he has scored 11 first-class centuries for Surrey—since 2022. He expressed his excitement about returning to The Oval and the prospect of batting in front of a supportive crowd.
Reflecting on England's summer performance, Pope noted that the team has played some excellent cricket after a challenging winter in India. He mentioned that a clean sweep of the home Tests would be a great achievement to look back on, as the team has become accustomed to winning back-to-back games.