England batsman Ollie Pope has declared himself ready to confront the intense pressure of an Ashes series in Australia, believing the constant scrutiny he has faced over the past year has forged him into a tougher competitor.
Fighting for His Place
The Surrey player's position in the side came under serious threat following the emergence of Jacob Bethell on the winter tour of New Zealand. Despite starting the summer strongly with centuries against Zimbabwe and India, Pope's form later wavered. The situation was compounded in September when he was replaced as vice-captain by Harry Brook, leaving his role in the team under a cloud.
However, Pope has forcefully reclaimed his place with a commanding performance in the three-day warm-up match against the England Lions. He posted scores of 100 and 90, displays of confidence that have all but guaranteed his selection for the first Test against Australia at Perth's Optus Stadium on Friday, November 21.
Embracing the Pressure
Pope acknowledges the immense challenge that awaits but argues that living with perpetual speculation about his place has been invaluable preparation. "It's been good for me to have learned that under the most pressure, I've been able to deliver," Pope stated. "I know I can deal with that and get the best out of myself at times."
He admitted that the public debate about his position is unavoidable. "I've got so used to those conversations being had and seeing them. I don't go looking for them, but it's pretty hard to avoid sometimes," he said. "I'm learning to live with it and put my best foot forward. I'll try and use the pressures that I'm under and make sure I get the best out of myself."
Learning from Past Failures
The upcoming series is a critical one for the 27-year-old, whose career Test average of 35.36 suggests unfulfilled potential. His record against Australia is a particular concern, averaging a meagre 15.70. During the last Ashes tour down under four years ago, he managed just 67 runs across six innings before being dropped.
Reflecting on that difficult period, Pope said, "I got dropped pretty quickly in the last series and rightly so at the time. I just wasn't as clear how I wanted to play. I didn't know my game well enough." He credits the leadership of captain Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum for providing clarity, noting that eight of his nine Test centuries have come under their guidance.
Now, with 61 Test caps to his name, Pope is ready to embrace a senior role, especially with younger teammates experiencing Australian conditions for the first time. His focus is on translating his hard-earned lessons into runs on what promises to be a gruelling tour schedule:
- 1st Test, Perth: Nov 21-25
- 2nd Test, Brisbane: Dec 4-8
- 3rd Test, Adelaide: Dec 17-21
- 4th Test, Melbourne: Dec 26-30
- 5th Test, Sydney: Jan 4-8
