Ollie Pope has sought advice from former England captain Joe Root on how to effectively juggle the responsibilities of batting and captaincy after a challenging first experience as the stand-in skipper against Sri Lanka.
Pope, filling in for the injured Ben Stokes in a three-match series, led England to a five-wicket victory at Old Trafford last week, giving his side a 1-0 lead with two Tests remaining. However, the No. 3 batsman struggled with the bat, scoring just six runs in each innings, with his second dismissal coming from an ill-advised reverse sweep.
Despite Stokes’ absence, England's lineup still features the experienced Joe Root, who captained the team in a record 64 Tests from 2017 to 2022, scoring 14 centuries during his tenure. As England prepares for the second Test at Lord’s starting Thursday, Pope has turned to Root for guidance on how to manage the dual pressures of leading the team and performing with the bat.
"I really enjoyed the week," Pope said during a pre-match press conference at Lord’s on Wednesday. "The runs didn't come for me, but hopefully in the next two weeks, I can separate my roles as captain and batsman and focus more on my batting."
Pope emphasised the importance of compartmentalizing the two roles, a strategy he discussed with Root. "We talked about how being in the field as captain can be more taxing, but it’s about finding a little routine and doing small things to keep the roles separate," he added.
Pope praised Root for his cricketing acumen, noting that Root's ability to balance captaincy with batting made him a valuable source of advice. "Chatting to Rooty, who's obviously got a great cricket brain and is England's best batter, we just bounced a few ideas off each other," Pope explained.
Under the leadership of Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, England has adopted an aggressive approach, especially in their batting. However, Root’s unbeaten 62 off 128 balls, featuring just two boundaries, during England’s successful chase of 205 against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford, highlighted the importance of adapting tactics to the match situation.
"We don't use the term 'Bazball,' but we played a different style of cricket at Old Trafford, and that’s something that can keep taking us forward as a team," Pope said. "When we can be ruthless, we’ve got to try and be ruthless to win as many games as possible."
As for Stokes, who has been batting in the nets but remains sidelined by a hamstring tear, Pope is optimistic about his return for England’s post-season tours of Pakistan and New Zealand.
"Injuries are never ideal, but they provide great opportunities for players to reflect and improve their game," Pope said. "I'm sure Stokesy is using this time wisely, and by the time we head to Pakistan and New Zealand, he’ll be as fresh as anyone."
