Ollie Pope eyes 'fresh start' in final Test against SL
Ollie Pope, England's interim captain for the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka, is seeking a "fresh start" at The Oval. This comes after a series of disappointing performances with the bat. Despite his personal struggles, England have had an impressive home summer so far, having won Test series against the West Indies and now Sri Lanka. The Englishmen aim to end their summer with an unbeaten record.
Pope under the scanner amid England's success
While England bask in the glory of their successful season, Pope's form has come under intense scrutiny. His performance has dipped after scoring a century and two half-centuries against the West Indies at home. His scores the Sri Lanka series read 6, 6, 1, and 17 as of now. This inconsistent performance has led to questions about his shot-selection the start of his innings.
Pope acknowledges poor form, remains hopeful
Following England's victory against the Lankans at Lord's, Pope acknowledged his poor form but expressed optimism about regaining his stride in the next match at The Oval. "I'm not going to hide behind the fact that I've had two poor games with the bat," he said. "That's the way cricket is sometimes and form comes and goes." He views these games as learning experiences and aims to improve his game, particularly how he begins his innings.
Pope unfazed by criticism, trusts his team
Pope acknowledges that he has been under the cosh but maintains that the criticism doesn't affect him. "I'm not surprised. Chatting to Stokesy before this series, when you're captain as well, you're going to attract a lot more [criticism]," he said. He believes in staying focused and trusting his team members, emphasizing the importance of not being perturbed by the outside chatter.
England lead the series 2-0
An all-round England hammered Sri Lanka in the 2nd Test at Lord's. The hosts showed character to post 427 in their first innings, with Joe Root and Gus Atkinson hammering tons. The Lankans were bowled out for 196 thereafter. In their 2nd innings, England saw Root smash another ton in their score of 251. SL perished in a mammoth run-chase. England won the series opener at the Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, by five wickets.
