Pope Will Make Sure Injured Stokes ‘doesn’t Push Himself To A Ridiculous Place’

Ollie Pope said it was his domiciled arsenic vice-captain to guarantee Ben Stokes “doesn’t push himself to a ridiculous place” arsenic nan skipper battles a groin wounded that forced him to activity physio curen towards nan extremity of nan first time of nan 3rd Test against India.

After receiving curen pinch conscionable nether an hr to play, nan captain’s activity was noticeably impaired for nan remainder of nan last session, but he played connected arsenic England reached stumps connected 251 for four. There are nary plans to nonstop him for scans, nan dream being that he will retrieve overnight and, alongside Joe Root – who is unbeaten connected 99 – “really footwear connected and make it a people northbound of 400, towards 500”.

“Fingers crossed it’s thing excessively serious, but we’ve sewage a large trial complete nan adjacent 4 days and a large time 2 coming up arsenic well, truthful it is important to effort and negociate him,” said Pope, who scored a scratchy 44 earlier being dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja pinch nan first shot aft tea.

“But it is 1 of my roles to make judge that he doesn’t push himself to a ridiculous spot pinch immoderate he’s dealing pinch astatine nan moment. I’m judge nan physios and medics will activity pinch him to laic retired a plan, and past I’ll thief push him successful nan correct direction.”

At 3.02 runs per over, England’s innings presently ranks arsenic their 3rd slowest nether Stokes’s imperishable captaincy, arsenic nan quality of nan transportation and nan accuracy of India’s bowlers forced them to rein successful their attacking instincts.

“It’s not needfully nan measurement we’re utilized to going astir it but I deliberation it’s a beautiful bully score,” Pope said. “Of people we’d person liked to beryllium 400 for four, but nan aboveground didn’t let that astatine all, and nan Indian onslaught did vessel well. It’s thing we’re trying to support processing arsenic a squad … it’s thing I’m moving connected successful my crippled arsenic well, not conscionable scoring runs successful speedy style, it’s besides erstwhile nan clip is correct to sorb immoderate pressure.

“Hopefully adjacent clip I tin footwear connected and make it a large one, moreover if it does return a small spot longer.”