Ollie Pope will captain England’s Test team for the first time when they face Sri Lanka on Wednesday, stepping in for the injured Ben Stokes. Although Pope has only captained one first-class match and led Surrey in eight T20 Blast games this season, he is England’s vice-captain and has been preparing for this opportunity.
Pope acknowledges that “it’s still Stokesy’s team” and plans to deliver “the same messages from a different voice,” with Stokes present during the series to offer support. Stokes, currently recovering from a hamstring injury and aiming for October’s tour to Pakistan, will be a key figure in the dressing room, alongside coach Brendon McCullum and other senior players like James Anderson.
Pope, who had a strong series against the West Indies in July, has played only a few competitive matches since. He aims to balance his role as captain with his batting duties, emphasizing the need to compartmentalize his responsibilities. He will rely on experienced teammates such as Joe Root and Harry Brook for guidance.
Despite Sri Lanka’s recent ODI success against India and their loss to England Lions in a warm-up match, Pope and the team are focusing on their own performance. He targets a 3-0 series win but stresses the importance of respecting their opponents and not underestimating them.
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