HYDERABAD: Most visiting batsmen lose it in their mind on tours of India. Ollie Pope proved to be different. The 26-year-old Surrey batter had a clear gameplan to thwart Indian designs on the third day of the first Test. A second innings century is always special and in becoming only the second to do so against India since 2018, Pope ensured England lived to fight another day. Sri Lanka’s Dimuth Karunaratne (107) was the last to do it in Bengaluru in 2022.
Pope toyed with the Indian spin trio to be unbeaten on 148. “I’m speechless. It’s one of the best knocks that I’ve ever seen,” gushed England vice-captain Joe Root. “I’ve seen a lot of cricket, played and batted out there in the middle with a lot of brilliant players and to witness that today was really special. To manipulate the field against that attack, on that surface, to show the powers of concentration and determination, all combined was immense.”
