‘Generational player’ Ollie Pope backed to return to form as England head coach Brendon McCullum urged to stick with star

Former England spinner and Surrey coach Gareth Batty has backed ‘generational player’ Ollie Pope to come good after a lean run of form. 

Pope started the series in India with a sublime, match-winning 196 in Hyderabad that inspired a famous England victory. 

However, in his seven innings since, he has managed just 99 runs at an average of 14, including a pair in Ranchi when he faced just three balls across the Test match, making a two-ball duck and a golden-duck. 

On the first day of the fifth Test in Dharamshala, Pope was on 11 when he ran down the wicket to Kuldeep Yadav and was stumped.

“You mentioned the word ‘generational’,” said Pope’s head coach at Surrey and marvelbet369.commentator Gareth Batty.

"And the innings at Hyderabad was, but I actually think we’re talking about a player that is a generational player.”

Pope made his debut for England in 2018 when he was just 20-years-old and picked to bat at No.4, having never batted higher than No.6 for his county Surrey, and found himself in and out of the team over the following four years due to a combination of injuries and poor form.

When Ben Stokes was appointed captain in April 2022, Pope found himself out of the team and, with the only vacant spot in the batting line-up at No.3, called up Stokes saying he’d be keen to take on the role. 

It’s a position Pope, now 26, has filled since, as well as being given the vice-captaincy in 2023.

“There are a lot of comparisons to the great Joe Root career wise and how he’s come into the team at such a young age,” remarked Batty. 

“This series will be the coming of him with the massive score he got early on in the series.

"We talk about the business world within sport, if you want to return investment, you back and you stick with Ollie Pope because there aren’t too many blokes with the skill set or the human characteristics to back that up over a long period of time.”

Pope’s difficult starts across the series has been a topic of debate, with him only passing 25 twice in nine innings in India.

“It’s tough,” said head coach Brendon McCullum on Pope’s frenetic starts this series. 

“Pietersen, Ponting, guys like that are all frenetic at the start, everyone’s susceptible when they first go out to bat. It’s just the way it is. 

“He’s trying to be as calm as he can when he goes out there.

"For him, the key is to not have played his innings before he goes out there, just to be nice and calm, relaxed, and go out there and be able to back himself in that situation. 

“He’s aware of that, that’s ultimately what everyone is trying to do when they go out and play.”