Pope ‘assured’ he’s as much as Ashes captaincy problem if required
Ben Stokes has implored Ollie Pope to take his new position as England’s official vice-captain “as seriously as I did” as issues round Stokes’ health linger forward of the primary Ashes Test on June 16.
Stokes reiterated earlier than England’s 10-wicket win over Ireland at Lord’s that he intends to play a full half in all 5 Tests – “unless I can’t walk, I’ll be on the field” – however he didn’t bowl a ball within the match and was in clear discomfort on the ultimate day, showing to jar his troublesome left knee when taking a catch.
Stokes has only bowled once since coming back from the IPL, a 20-minute spell within the warm-ups forward of the third and ultimate day of the Test on Saturday, and it seems more and more potential that Pope will deputise for him at some stage this summer time, even when just for a quick time period.
Pope has solely captained one first-class match – an end-of-season County Championship fixture for Surrey – however has been groomed as future leader for greater than six months. In Stokes’ absence, he captained England in each of their warm-up video games over the winter: in opposition to the Lions in Abu Dhabi, and a New Zealand XI in Hamilton.
When Rob Key grew to become England’s managing director final yr, he stated that he was “not concerned with having to appoint a vice-captain” and that it was “low down on my priorities” however has progressively turn into satisfied of the significance of the position – not least when observing Moeen Ali’s affect inside England’s white-ball set-up.
Stokes and McCullum instructed him final month that they needed Pope to be made vice-captain in a proper capability after deputising within the winter, and his appointment was ratified earlier than the Ireland Test. “It really shows where Ollie Pope is – how far he’s come in a year,” Key stated.
On Pope’s promotion, Stokes stated after the Ireland Test: “[We had] given him more responsibility over the winter, using him more out on the field, running things by him about what I think. Then we just naturally came to a decision together. And he’s excelled as a player and taken responsibility at No. 3.
“I simply thought it was the correct time to lastly, formally, identify a vice-captain and Popey was the person for it. I feel it would do him the world of excellent, getting a double-hundred on his vice-captaincy debut.”
Pope said that he saw the role as “a giant honour” but that it would not represent a major change from the winter. “From what I used to be doing earlier than, it does not make a giant distinction,” he said. “I’m going to present my opinion and problem Stokesy when he wants difficult. We’re going to be examined within the Ashes alongside the way in which, so it is not all the time about occurring and agreeing with him.
“It’s about providing a different opinion to let ponder in his mind as well. Nothing’s really changed. He’s got a pretty clear vision, and he’s got 15 guys in that changing room who know our roles now, so that’s helpful for everybody.”
Before his personal appointment as captain final yr, Stokes had served as Joe Root’s deputy in two separate spells. He cared deeply in regards to the place, which he misplaced within the aftermath of the road combat exterior a Bristol nightclub in 2017 that briefly threatened his profession.
He was reinstated within the weeks main as much as the 2019 Ashes after texting Tom Harrison, the then-chief govt of the ECB, to ask if he was eligible for the job. “Forty-eight hours later, I had Ashley Giles, the England managing director, in contact to offer me the position once more… it meant the world to me,” he wrote in his e book, On Fire.
“It’s a role that I took very seriously,” Stokes added on Saturday night, “and I told him, I want him to take it as seriously as I did. That’s why me and Joe worked so well together: I didn’t take it just as a badge, almost, and we rubbed off [on] each other really well so I’m encouraging Popey to do the same role that I did.”
Pope believes that Stokes will do all the pieces in his energy to be on the sphere always this summer time, however stated that he feels “confident” he would be capable of “implement the same ideas” as his captain if the state of affairs arises.
“Fingers crossed Stokesy’s body’s all good,” Pope stated. “It’s going to take a hell of a lot for him not to be on the pitch even for a day’s play, knowing what he’s like.
“But if it did occur, I really feel assured. We’ve performed quite a bit collectively as a crew over the past yr and a bit, and he is aware of quite a bit how he needs the bowlers to function, the type of fields he units, and tries to get gamers to hit balls in areas that they do not usually need to hit [them] in.
“So I’ve got a pretty good understanding of how he runs things now and, if needs be, can implement the same ideas.”
Matt Roller is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @mroller98