England batter Ollie Pope has admitted that his recall to the Test squad for the opening two matches against Pakistan came as a surprise, but he is determined to make the opportunity count and rebuild his place in the red-ball setup.
Pope returned to the squad nine months after being dropped during the Ashes series in Australia, where he managed an average of 20.83 across six innings before being replaced by Jacob Bethell. A strong County Championship run, along with changes in England’s leadership group, has helped bring him back into contention.
“I understand the change in the team at the start of the summer. I understand everything that they’ve done over time. Whatever they’ve changed over the last year or so, the main thing is whatever they think the best team is now. The fact that I’m in the frame for that is a massive positive,” Pope was quoted as saying by Cricinfo.
“It’s obviously great having their confidence to pick me. I’m just focusing on making sure my game’s as ready as it can be. If I do get a go in this series, making sure I’ve smoothed out the technique and got my head in the right spot,” he added.
The 28-year-old has played 64 Tests for England and scored 3,732 runs before his exclusion. He returns as a flexible middle-order option, with the ability to bat in multiple positions while also providing backup wicketkeeping cover.
With England preparing for a new phase under captain Joe Root and head coach Stephen Fleming, reclaiming the Ashes in 2027 remains a major objective. Pope is keen to prove himself against Australia after struggling with an average of 17.62 in eight Tests against the arch-rivals.
“There’s an Ashes next summer. I played a game with a dislocated shoulder here (Lord’s) and one game at Edgbaston, and I feel like I’ve still got a lot to prove against Australia,” he said.
“The longer-term goal is to play in that. But I’ve not made it back into the XI yet, and I’ve got a lot of work to do. The one thing that I never wanted to happen was to be written off before I was 30,” Pope added.
Rejecting suggestions that his struggles in Australia were mainly mental, Pope said technical issues were the bigger concern.
“I think there’s a perception that it was more of a mental thing when I was out in Australia, and I couldn’t disagree more. My technique and my game wasn’t exactly where it needed to be, and against the best in the world, that gets exposed pretty quickly,” he said.
Pope will now look to make the most of his latest chance as England prepare for their Test series against Pakistan.
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