England opener Zak Crawley has publicly backed teammate Ollie Pope, dismissing suggestions that the number three batsman's place in the side is in jeopardy following another early dismissal in the ongoing Ashes series.
Crawley's staunch defence of under-fire Pope
The defence came after Pope was dismissed for 17 on the fourth day of the third Test in Adelaide on Saturday 20 December 2025. His exit was sealed by a spectacular catch from Australia's Marnus Labuschagne in the slips. This continued a disappointing tour for Pope, who now averages a meagre 17.62 against Australia this series.
With England facing a near-impossible task to save the series – Australia need just four more wickets to win in Adelaide and take an unassailable lead – speculation had mounted that Pope was playing for his Test career. However, Crawley refuted any notion of internal pressure on the 27-year-old.
"Maybe from you guys, but not from inside the camp," Crawley told the BBC's Test Match Special. "We all know how good of a player he is. I think he has had a good year if I'm honest. He has scored 100s when we have needed him to and played some really good knocks. I think that is talk from the outside. There's no chat like that on Ollie in the camp."
England's struggles and a stunning Labuschagne catch
Pope's dismissal was part of a damaging spell from Australian captain Pat Cummins, who also removed Ben Duckett and Joe Root. England's batting frailties have been a constant theme in a dismal series, having folded within two days in Perth and four in Brisbane.
The tourists narrowly avoided the ignominy of the earliest ever Ashes defeat in terms of days, a fate only avoided thanks largely to Crawley's resilient 85 from 151 balls. Pope had also faced criticism from former England spinner Graeme Swann after his first-innings dismissal to Nathan Lyon, with Swann pointing out a "lack of footwork" and describing the shot as "lazily chipping."
The road ahead for Pope and England
Despite the public vote of confidence from a fellow batsman, the numbers present a stark picture for Pope. His place will inevitably come under intense scrutiny from pundits and fans as England look to rebuild and avoid a series whitewash. The team's reliance on individual resilience, as shown by Crawley in Adelaide, highlights the ongoing battle for consistency at the top of the order.
With the Ashes urn almost certainly returning to Australia, the focus for the England camp will quickly shift to selection for the remaining Tests and the longer-term future of the batting lineup. Pope's ability to respond to this difficult period will be a key narrative for the remainder of the tour.
