England’s Deputy Captain Ollie Pope Commits to Emulating New Zealand Icon Kane Williamson in Bid to Regain His Form Following Challenging India Series

England vice-captain Ollie Pope has promised to place more trust in his defensive technique after ‘getting the balance wrong’ during the recent 4-1 defeat in India.

Pope began the series with a hall-of-fame 196 as England came from behind to win at Hyderabad. 

But amid accusations that he looked frenetic, his form deserted him: his remaining eight innings produced just 118 runs, including a pair at Ranchi.

That led to coach Brendon McCullum urging him ‘not to have played his innings before he goes out there’. 

And Pope wants to use the early rounds of championship cricket with title-holders Surrey to rediscover the rhythm that has made him a key figure at No 3 for England’s Bazballers.

Ollie Pope wants to rediscover the rhythm that has made him a key figure at No 3 for England

The England vice-captain has promised to place more trust in his defensive technique

Asked about the skittishness early in his innings, Pope replied: ‘It’s something I’m working on. 

‘I think it was highlighted so much in India because when it comes off, it looks good and busy, and it’s a way of putting pressure back on the bowler. 

‘Other times it looks the opposite – frenetic, like I’m nervous.

‘But I don’t think it’s nerves. I got the balance slightly wrong on pitches that weren’t spinning as much from ball one as I’d expected. 

‘I didn’t trust my defence at the start of my innings as well as I should have. It’s about working out the balance between putting the bowler under pressure and trusting my defensive plans.’

Pope admitted he might have sat out some of Surrey’s early matches – starting on April 5 with a tough trip to Old Trafford to face Lancashire – had he finished, rather than started, the India trip with his 196.

Instead, he intends to use New Zealand legend Kane Williamson as a role model in a bid to peak for the first Test against West Indies at Lord’s in July.

‘He’s got the best defence in the game, and he can trust that for his first 30 balls, and have no dramas. That’s what I wanted to do in India, but probably lost sight of it because of how the wickets were playing, and almost trying to put them under too much pressure.’

The England batsman intends to use New Zealand legend Kane Williamson as a role model

Pope also said England needed to be better frontrunners after blowing a series of good positions on the Indian tour.

‘We want to drive games home,’ he said. ‘We were well in three games in India, then had one bad session. They drove it home well when they were ahead of the game. We need to find a way of doing that.’