Ollie Pope: A Vice-Captain with Potential, Yet to Find His Calm

Ollie Pope, England’s vice-captain, has garnered significant respect since his rise within the team, with many seeing him as a potential future leader. My first encounter with Pope was during England’s 2019 tour of New Zealand, where he captained my quiz team at a charity event. Ever since, I’ve called him “skipper,” a title that now has a more literal significance.

Pope’s role as vice-captain is intriguing. The vice-captain often serves as a foil to the captain, providing balance and complementing the leadership dynamic. However, this role doesn’t necessarily equate to being the next in line for captaincy. History has shown that a good vice-captain doesn’t always transition into a great leader, as evidenced when Michael Vaughan was chosen over Marcus Trescothick to succeed Nasser Hussain.

Pope’s appointment as vice-captain followed a pattern of grooming a young batter for future leadership. Yet, with the emergence of Harry Brook, the path to captaincy isn’t as clear-cut for Pope anymore. Nevertheless, when Ben Stokes was sidelined with a hamstring injury, England rightfully turned to Pope for the Sri Lanka series.

As a leader, Pope has performed admirably, guiding England to victories in both Tests against Sri Lanka, despite the benign conditions that required strategic thinking to secure wickets. However, his batting has been underwhelming, contributing just 30 runs across four innings. The issue isn’t just the lack of runs but the manner in which he has been dismissed, coupled with a jittery presence at the crease.

Pope’s position at number three demands a calm and composed approach, qualities that seem elusive for him at the moment. His challenge is to find serenity in his game, to allow himself time to settle at the crease, something that could lead to the match-winning innings he is capable of producing. His 196 against India in Hyderabad earlier this year stands as a testament to his potential.

England will be patient with Pope, giving him the time and space to rediscover his form. He is expected to lead in the final Test at the Oval and likely has the upcoming series in Pakistan and New Zealand to prove his mettle. England is keen on his success, and they will do all they can to support him.

Pope could learn much from the calm demeanor of his teammate Joe Root, who recently surpassed Sir Alastair Cook with his 33rd and 34th Test centuries. Root’s consistent brilliance serves as an excellent example for Pope to emulate.