As Steven Smith struck his thirty first Test hundred towards India on day two of the World Test Championship remaining at The Oval, England vice-captain Ollie Pope might solely however admire the Australian's class.

Ominous indicators forward of the Ashes? No doubt. But for a participant with a Test common of 59.55 in these circumstances - now 61.60 - who has 11 centuries towards England, the hosts didn't want a reminder of Smith's qualities forward of subsequent week's first Test at Edgbaston.

"He loves batting in England," Pope mentioned. "It's obvious he knows these conditions, knows his game inside out. So there's a lot of respect for him."

Even with the 2-2 scoreline, the hole between the 2 sides 4 years in the past was Smith-sized. As such, there are plans afoot to keep away from a repeat.

Though Ben Stokes has preached about England solely focussing on themselves and carrying ahead their expansive strategies, loads of evaluation has gone into combatting Smith this time round. The onus appears to be on matching the batter's unorthodoxy with related techniques with the ball and round discipline placings.

"There's also a lot of talented bowlers in our changing-room who have worked out ways we can challenge him - both edges as well," Pope mentioned. "So, I think that's probably going to be the main thing for ourselves. Can't say too much but there's probably slightly different plans this time.

"He's been a tremendous participant for a very long time and had loads of success in all totally different circumstances. But what we have been good at as a group is we have used totally different approaches, not essentially hitting the highest of off the entire time in getting wickets and discovering methods to get 20 wickets in a match, whoever's batting.

"Steve Smith is a highly-skilled batter and scores a lot of runs. But I think, for him, we might be looking at even quirkier ways to challenge him, test him out and make him as uncomfortable as we possibly can to try and get his wicket."

There is hope England's fashion itself would possibly show a distraction. Speaking final month, Stuart Broad relished the concept of Smith dancing down the monitor and chipping to long-on by way of attractive him into some Bazball of his personal.

"That's exactly the bubble that we've got to try and get him out of," Pope mentioned. "He's got his routines - his slightly longer routines - before he faces each ball, and he won't be ready until he's done all those routines. And that's, again, what's made him successful is that stubbornness.

"We know precisely how he'll function, how he'll need to rating his runs and he is not going to maneuver from that in this five-match collection whether or not he scores runs within the first two or three matches or not. It's simply understanding how he is gonna method it and try to sit and negotiate that as greatest as we are able to."

Ollie Pope won the match award for his double-century against Ireland at Lord's•Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Even with the focus on taking out Smith, Pope could not help but state his admiration for a rival. Particularly one who has his game down to a tee.

It is a state of being Pope is reaching. The 25-year-old believes his batting is "quite a bit higher" than it was when he last played Australia on the 2021-22 tour. Pope averaged just 11.16 across three matches in the 4-0 defeat, and looked set for a spell out of the team coming into the 2022 summer.

But with Stokes taking over as captain and preaching a more positive approach, reinforced by head coach Brendon McCullum, Pope has thrived at No. 3. A maiden double-century last week against Ireland was his third three-figure score under Stokes, taking his average to 43.25 since the last summer. The career average after 36 caps is now a healthier 35.27.

He hopes that upward trend continues over the next couple month. And it will be no surprise if he takes a few cues from Smith given how highly he regards Australia's No. 4.

"Watching him go about his stuff apart from when it is towards us, I actually take pleasure in watching him bat," Pope said. "I discover it intriguing the way in which he does his angles and the way in which he modifies his set off for various bowlers - the way in which he negotiates totally different challenges in numerous circumstances.

"From a pure cricket fan point of view, he's someone I respect. A player who averages 60 in recent times in Test cricket - it's amazing what he's done. I've got a lot of respect for him as a fellow batter.

"Hopefully he would not rating too many towards us. But what he is executed in nonetheless lengthy since his debut has been significantly spectacular."

Ollie Pope was talking on behalf of Radox, the Official Shower Gel of England Cricket #FeelRefreshedWithRadox

Vithushan Ehantharajah is an affiliate editor at ESPNcricinfo