Ollie Pope has emphasized that England remains Ben Stokes’ team, even as he steps in as the stand-in captain for the upcoming three-Test series against Sri Lanka. With Stokes sidelined due to a hamstring injury sustained while playing for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred, Pope will take charge as England’s 82nd Test captain when the series kicks off at Emirates Old Trafford on Wednesday.
Pope, 26, who has served as Stokes’ deputy for more than a year, expressed his excitement at the opportunity to lead the side but was quick to reaffirm that the team still belongs to Stokes. The all-rounder, despite his injury, will remain with the squad throughout the series, providing invaluable support and advice.
“When I was appointed vice-captain, I knew there was always a possibility that something like this could happen,” Pope said. “It’s not necessarily something you dream about, but it’s one of the greatest honors in English cricket. It’s exciting for me, and it’s a chance for us as a team to take a step forward.”
Pope acknowledged that having Stokes in the dressing room during the series would be crucial. “It’s still Stokesy’s team. Everyone’s pretty clear on how they want to approach this week and the series in general. Having Stokesy around is great. If I need to lean on him, I can, but he’s also allowing me to lead in my own way during this series. I’ve already picked his brains a bit, especially on how he manages the bowlers,” Pope added.
The Surrey batsman has had a strong start to the year, highlighted by a match-turning 196 in Hyderabad, and has continued his form into the home summer. He scored a gritty 57 at Lord’s against the West Indies and followed it up with impressive knocks of 121 and 51 in Nottingham. Despite the added responsibilities of captaincy, Pope remains focused on his primary role as a top-order batsman.
“Hopefully, the captaincy will positively impact my batting,” he said. “I’ve been putting in the hard work in the nets, just as I do for any Test series. My role at No. 3 is to go out and score big runs for the team. Even when I had a stint in T20 for Surrey, I reminded myself that when it’s time to bat, it’s time to bat.”
