England’s No. 3 batter, Ollie Pope, claimed that he used his natural game to regain form. The 27-year-old batsman hit a century against India in the first innings at Headingley, Leeds. Despite his previous dearth of runs, Pope silenced doubters with a calm 106 on Day 2 of the first Test.
The England vice-captain has received harsh criticism for his poor performances during the previous year. While some had advocated for Jacob Bethell to be given a shot at the position, the team elected to back the Surrey hitter, which has paid off handsomely.
“I’ve tried not to let it bother me too much, to be honest. I’m fully aware that a lot has already been said, but for me, I’ve just been trying to get my game in the best shape possible, and when I do come in, I try to make the most of it,” Pope stated during the news conference.
“I’ve tried to let the outside noise do its thing and just try to make sure my game keeps improving, and I get my headspace in a good place too,” he told reporters.
Ollie Pope remains grounded despite his century and is focused on helping his team win the match.
He admitted that while there is always a chance of edging a delivery his aim is to take each game as it comes and continue working towards cementing his place in the side.
“Look, it’s early in the series, and there’s a lot of stuff to be done. And I think I’ve had some really good series, and I’ve had some not-so-good series, so I think that’s just kind of the way,” Pope said.
“I guess starting at number 3, you might get a ball with your name on it, and you might think I’m out of nick when you’re not. I think my approach is just trying to take each game as it comes and, yeah, hopefully, continue cementing that spot,” he concluded.
India
