Ollie Pope believes he has “stopped fearing getting out” following England’s cricketing revolution under the guidance of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.
Stokes’ man-management skills have inspired a loyalty and devotion from the England dressing room and he, in turn, has instilled a sense of belief.
Since Stokes took over the permanent captaincy, Pope was promoted to number three in the summer and retained the gloves over a fit Ben Foakes for the series-clinching victory over Pakistan in Multan.
James Anderson, who has been around the national side for almost two decades, declared in the summer that, under the current leadership, he was “the happiest he’s ever felt” in an England side.
And it seems that sentiment is trickling down to the younger members of the squad, such as Pope.
“I feel a new player at the minute, personally, to what I felt in the past playing for England,” 24-year-old Pope said after the conclusion of the Test in the City of Saints.
“I feel I’ve been a bit more consistent, I’ve stopped fearing getting out. The two guys at the top have helped me grow, not confidence but the freedom to express myself and how I want to play. It’s been great for me, hopefully I keep that consistency.”
Pope has cut a composed figure with the gloves, and has taken 10 catches and one stumping in the first two Tests of the series in Pakistan.
However, he insisted that his primary focus remains on consistently scoring runs at number three.
“I’d still love to tie down number three, make that my own,” Pope said. “That will be my primary focus. Obviously, different conditions, somewhere like NZ, we might go with a more regular team – that’s not for me to decide, my main priority is to keep churning out runs at number three.”
Harry Brook has immediately taken to Test cricket and, after three matches, boasts an average of 73.80, scored at a strike rate of just under one a ball.
The Yorkshireman’s success has earned high praise from his captain, who after the conclusion of the Multan Test match likened the 23-year-old to Virat Kohli for his attributes across all formats.
Brook believes the style of cricket played by the current England team has helped his seamless transition into the format.
“The lads just say go out there and do what you’re doing for your county side and I think I have done really,” he said.
“I’ve gone out there and I think I slot into this team fairly well with the way I’ve played, I’m generally quite an aggressive player who always looks to score and put the bowler under pressure, so it suits my natural game, and it’s been quite easy to slot in, and the lads have been great. So it’s been good fun.”
